Spanakorizo - Spinach with Rice
This is one of the mainstay dishes I grew up eating. It is a regional dish native to Sparta. Serve this with chopped feta on the top.
This is one of the mainstay dishes I grew up eating. It is a regional dish native to Sparta. Serve this with chopped feta on the top.
- Carbohydrate 190.271677707417 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.70024328051144 g
- Fiber 12.0807417260597 g
- Protein 25.3199465281056 g
- Saturated Fat 0.530938103931037 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1295g)
- Sodium 282.682671553417 mg
- Sugar 178.190935981357 g
- Trans Fat 0.908196670714456 g
- Calories 878 calories
Step-by-step
- Sautee onion with Olive oil.
- Add a couple Garlic Cloves, sautee for a minute.
- Add Pkg Spinach.
- Add Rice, sautee for a couple minutes.
- Add Half Can Crushed Tomatoes, mix.
- Add 1.5 Cup Water, mix.
- Lower heat.
- Add a little more water (if needed).
- Cover, Boil. and simmer.
- Add Salt/Pepper to taste.
- Keep covered, and only add water if needed till rice is ready.
- Serve with Feta cheese on top.
While stuffed grape leaves rely on tight rolling and long braises, spanakorizo demands careful attention to moisture management in an open skillet. Cooks frequently turn this vibrant green rice into a muddy porridge because they dump all the liquid in at once without accounting for the water content locked inside fresh leaves. Executing this dish properly requires respecting the starch development of the grains while managing the stubborn shrinkage of leafy greens.
- Sauté the dry grains in olive oil for precisely three minutes until individual edges turn translucent, creating a protective lipid barrier that stops the starch from immediately turning gluey upon liquid contact.
- Control the tomato addition strictly, using only half the crushed tomatoes specified to keep the high acid content from halting the softening process of the rice.
- Monitor the heat level closely, reducing the burner to a low simmer immediately after the initial boil so the bottom grains scorch before the upper layer hydrates.
- Incorporate the remaining 1.5 cups of water incrementally rather than in a single pour, testing a single grain of rice at the fifteen-minute mark for resistance.
- Crumbled feta added directly onto the steaming surface introduces necessary salinity that sharpens the earthy profile of the wilted greens.
Properly hydrated grains maintain distinct integrity rather than fusing into a dense mass. Leftover portions store safely in an airtight container for up to three days.
