Greek Spinach Rice with Vegan Feta

This easy Greek spinach rice with vegan feta is a fresh, healthy one-pot meal packed with spinach, herbs, garlic and lemon. Get the recipe below.

Greek Spinach Rice, known as spanakorizo in Greek, is a classic dish from Greek home cooking. The name simply means spinach (spanaki) and rice (rizi), and the recipe is a great example of how simple, inexpensive ingredients can be transformed into a flavoursome meal. It is part of the wider tradition of Greek vegetable dishes, where seasonal produce, good olive oil, fresh herbs and plenty of lemon take centre stage.

This dish is made by gently cooking rice with a generous amount of spinach, leek, garlic and tomato purée until the rice is tender and creamy. Rather than cooking the recie separately, everything goes into one pan, allowing the rice to absorb the flavours of the vegetables, herbs and vegetable stock as it cooks. Fresh dill and parsley add plenty of fragrance, while lemon zest and juice bring the bright, fresh acidity that is chracteristic of Greek cooking.

To put my own twist on this traditional recipe, I've finished it with crumbled vegan feta and a handful of toasted pine nuts for extra richness and texture. The salty, creamy feta works particularly well with the lemony rice and fresh herbs, while the nuts add a little crunch.

Serve it warm with extra lemon wedges for a satisfying light lunch or dinner, or as a delicious side dish as part of a larger Greek-inspired feast.

Ingredients

To make this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:

• Medium grain rice
• Vegetable stock
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Leek
• Spinach
• Garlic
• Tomato purée
• Lemon
• Dill
• Parsley
• Vegan Feta
• Pine nuts

I buy the Greek Inspired Fetamorphosis from I am Nut OK but you can use your favourite vegan feta cheese.

Step-by-step instructions

• Step 1: soften the leeks with the garlic in a large frying pan

• Step 2: add the rice to the pan along with the tomato puree, vegetable stock, spinach and half of the dill, parsley and lemon zest

• Step 3: cook the rice for 20-25 minutes with the lid on, until the rice is tender and absorbed most of the stock

• Step 4: remove from the pan and serve topped with the remaining dill, parsley and lemon zest followed by the lemon juice, vegan feta and toasted pine nuts

Hint: keep the heat low once you've added the stock and avoid stirring too often. A gentle simmer gives the rice time to absorb the liquid and become tender without the bottom of the pan drying out before the rice is cooked.

Substitutions

If you need to make a couple of swaps in this dish then I've got you covered. Try one of these suggestions:

• Rice: medium grain rice is ideal but you can use whatever rice you have - just adjust the cooking time and amount of stock as necessary.
• Spinach: in a pinch you could use charge or kale.
• Leek: substitute the leek with finely sliced onions.
• Vegan feta: any crumbly vegan cheese would work if you can't get hold of vegan feta specifically.
• Pine nuts: walnuts, almonds or even pumpkin seeds would work well.

Variations

If you want to put your own twist on this Greek Spinach Rice dish then why not give one of these variations a go:

• Add chickpeas: for a more substantial meal, stir through a tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas towards the end of cooking.
• Add peas: frozen peas are a really easy addition - just stir them through during the final 5 minutes of cooking.
• Make it spicy: add a pinch of chilli flakes alongside the garlic for a little heat.
• Add courgette: finely diced or grated courgette can be cooked alongside the leek for an extra serving of vegetables.
• Make it nut-free: simply leave out the pine nuts but also make sure you check what the vegan feta is made from as often vegan cheese are made from nuts such as cashews and almonds.

Equipment

You don't need any specialist equipment to make Greek Spinach Rice. All you need is:

• Large frying pan with a lid
• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Measuring jug
• Fine grater or microplane for the lemon zest

Storage

Allow the leftover Greek Spinach Rice to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place the rice in a pan with a splash or water of vegetable stock. Cover and heat gently until piping hot throughout. Alternatively you can reheat it in the microwave.

I don't recommend freezing this dish.

Top tip

Don't skimp on the lemon! The fresh lemon juice and zest are what give this dish its distinctive, bright, fresh flavour. I serve it with extra lemon wedges for anyone who wants to add even more to the dish.

Frequently asked questions

The recipe

Greek Spinach Rice with Vegan Feta

This easy Greek spinach rice with vegan feta is a fresh, healthy one-pot meal packed with spinach, herbs, garlic and lemon.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 200 g medium-grain rice
• 600 ml vegetable stock
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 leek thinly sliced
• 450 g baby spinach
• 1 lemon zested and juiced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 30 g fresh dill roughly chopped
• 30 g fresh parsley roughly chopped
• 100 g vegan feta crumbled
• 100 g pine nuts or walnuts optional
• 1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced leek and cook for 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
• Add the minced garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir to coat it in the olive oil. Add the vegetable stock, tomato purée, baby spinach, half of the dill, half of the parsley and half of the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 20–25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the stock.
• Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered, for 2 minutes.
• Stir through the remaining dill, parsley and lemon zest, followed by the lemon juice.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding extra lemon juice, salt or pepper as required.
• Scatter over the vegan feta and toasted pine nuts or walnuts, if using.
• Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

Keyword baby spinach, dill, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, leek, lemon, parsley, pine nuts, rice, tomato puree, vegan feta, vegetable stock

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