Rizogalo (Greek Rice Pudding)

A bowl of rizogalo, creamy Greek rice pudding, dusted with ground cinnamon.

Rizogalo (Greek Rice Pudding)

Creamy Greek rice pudding made with milk, short-grain rice, sugar, and lemon peel, simmered on the stovetop and finished with cinnamon. Serve it warm or cold, as dessert or even breakfast.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Servings cups

Calories 308kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk, whole (1 liter)
½ cup arborio rice (100 g), or other short-grain rice
⅓ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon (80 g)
1 lemon peel only, in strips, no white pith

for serving

ground cinnamon

Instructions

Add the milk, rice, and lemon peel to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring.
Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom to prevent scorching, until the rice is completely tender and the pudding coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar until dissolved and remove the lemon peel.
Divide into bowls, sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve warm, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold.

Notes

Rice: short-grain rice is essential. Arborio, Calrose, or sushi rice all work; long-grain or parboiled rice won't thicken.
Thickness: it looks loose off the heat and thickens a lot as it cools.
Lemon peel: use as much as you like; the peel of a whole small lemon gives a fragrant, lemony pudding.
Milk: low-fat or creamy plant milk (oat or soy) can replace whole milk; keep the heat lower, as they catch faster.
Storage: refrigerate, covered, within 2 hours. Keeps 3 to 4 days. Do not freeze.

Nutrition