Spanakorizo is a classic Greek dish of rice, spinach and the appearance of dill or mint (or both) are also evident.
As a child, I didn’t fully appreciate this dish but as an adult, I find this dish delicious, sentimental Greek comfort food and healthy to boot!
I don’t have a Spanakorizo dish on my site (yet) but as a reference point, my friend Peter’s Spanakorizo is as good as it gets.
Last week I was baking some rice and not that I’m against plain white rice but I was looking for something to spruce up the dish and I had my first herbs in the garden for use – dill and mint.
The appoach for this quick and fresh Spanakorizo or “a la minute” as I put it is easy – saute some scallions, apply to my baked rice recipe and when the rice is done, simply toss the baby spinach and herbs to flavour and colour your Spanakorizo “a la minute”!
Spanakorizo “a la Minute”
(serves 4)
1 cup of long grain rice, rinsed in cold water
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
2 1/2 cups of hot vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 cups of baby spinach spinach (rinsed)
2 heaping Tbsp. of chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
salt to taste
Pre-heated 400F oven
(wedges of lemon, optional)
- Rinse your rice in cold water and place in your baking vessel and reserve. In a small skillet, add a glug of olive oil and gently saute your chopped scallions until soft and translucent.
- Add your sauteed scallions to the the rice, along with the 1/4 cup olive oil, stock and black pepper. Stir to incorporate.
- Place in your pre-heated oven (uncovered) and bake for approx. 30-40 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the rice from the oven and add the baby spinach, chopped dill and mint and toss until the spinach has wilted and the the herbs are entirely incorporated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and keep warm. Serve as a side with chicken, seafood or lamb. Offer your guests some lemon if they would like to squeeze a bit on their rice.
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© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
Thanks for the shout out Peter! This is lovely and very convenient! How quick is this? I def need to get “cracking” and try the baked rice.
I did see that dish in your friends place and indeed it was looking beautiful.
Love the baked rice.
This looks so savorty Peter. My rice loving family would devour this!
I am loving the dill and mint. I am sure it makes simple rice super tasty.
A nice way of preparing rice! Delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Baking rice is something to try. This is the second time we’ve seen this method in 2 weeks. Must be good!
Peter – I’ve gotta say I’m so excited to see a vegetarian recipe here. Was just having an argument with my husband that I didn’t want to go to a Greek restaurant bec they won’t have any veggie food. He wants to eat anything and everything that is not! Lol!
Looks so fresh and delicious. Love the herbs.
I took your cue and baked some rice last week too … after roasting some whole chicken legs, I removed those from the pan and added some rice, herbs and seasonings and let it bake in the oven in the pan juices of the chicken along with some water and it came out great. Thanks for the idea!
This looks so fresh. I’ll have to give it a try.
Unless I’m making risotto, I rarely use white rice, preferring the nutty flavor of brown rice. But this gussied up version with herbs and more looks wonderful and a perfect foil for a meat or seafood main course. thanks for the ideas.
this is a wonderful herb combination for rice – we cook spanakorizo regularly (always with tomato), and my children eat it accompanied by yoghurt
That dill-minth-rice combination is all new to me. Sounds tasty. What do you serve it with?
I love the herb combination here. What a great way to kick up a rice dish.
Fantastic way to dress up rice. I just do happen to have some fresh dill on hand right now. Yum.
This does spell out comfort food! Perfect for the terrible weather we’ve been having in Calgary! I think simplicity is what makes these mediterranean dishes so comforting and appealing. Great recipe, thanks for sharing it!
dill and mint and it works? Well, who would have thought. I’m sold.
That’s a tasty, easy and full of flavors dish!!
One of our favourites Peter:)
I love dill and spinach together! Looks fantastic!
Gorgeous! Love all the fresh herbs:)
Dill? Count us in!
the herbs take plain rice to a whole new level and what’s great is that it’s well cooked and no unwanted sticky rice
Looks quite amazing and so simple to make. This is the best kind of food to make and photograph!
ohhh love your carbs Peter!
My dad loved spanakorizo, so my mom fixed it regularly. But I haven’t made it in years. Thanks for the reminder of such a simple yet good tasting dish.
Delicious rice dish – I love the mint and dill and spinach here!
That’s a really lovely dish Peter. I love baked rice!
Simplicity at it’s best, Peter and yet it must have been so good to eat!!! I love baked rice!!!
What a gorgeous side dish! I think that with some fried halloumi, may be on my table this week!
MMMMM….Peter: this dish sings to me,…8)!!!
I am surprised your recipe didn’t have lemon in it. In Epirus, we usually eat it without dill/mint, but with more spinach in it, and with quite some lemon in it.
Eugenia, there are regional and family differences with tastes all around Greece. Some parts of Greece, Feta is not the main cheese, other parts use Myzithra in their Greek salads. If you would like more spanaki in your version, by all means. Some do not like mint or perhaps dill. You make what’s right for your family.
Yes, this is of course true. :)
BTW, I linked some of your recipes from a blog post of mine back in September, but it got quite some hits this past Easter. Hope you got some page views out of it.
dill AND mint, you say? amazing. rice is something i rarely eat, but you’ve managed to make me crave it. :)
I have a love/hate relationship with spanakorizo. Your version looks fabulous.
A very pretty sidedish & tasty too I bet
Can’t wait to try this out.. Peter what kind of difference am i going to see if i cook the rice on stove top instead of the oven?
Just wanted to let you know that I made this as a main dish for lunch today, used the basmati brown rice … oh YUM doesn’t describe it :)
This is perfect! I am always looking for ways to fix rice, it is my go to side dish.
Your last baked rice dish inspired me to dig around in the pantry and make a baked Spanish rice. I made it last week, and I still need to post it. But! now I have got to make this – so green and herby and delightful! Awesome!
Yum!! I love mint & dill with rice but I have to admit I’ve never baked rice so I want to try this! Cheers!
Two big thumbs up! I’m definitely going to make this one.
What pleasure to be able to prepare the dishes as published