Rizogalo is Greece’s entry in the great Mediterranean rice-pudding family — and readers of my Portuguese arroz doce will recognize a beloved cousin: creamy short-grain rice in sweet milk, perfumed here with vanilla and finished with cinnamon.
The name says it plainly — rizi (rice) plus gala (milk) — and Greek homes serve it both ways: warm and cozy in winter, chilled and refreshing in summer. Both camps are correct.
The optional cornstarch is the Greek touch for extra body; the constant stirring in the final half hour is the universal rice-pudding tax. Pay it, and the creaminess repays with interest.
Rizogalo Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: about 45 minutes · Total: 55 minutes (plus chilling, if serving cold) · Servings: 6 · Calories: ~279 per serving
Ingredients
- ¾ cup short-grain rice (arborio works well)
- 1½ cups water
- 4 cups whole milk
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for extra creaminess)
- ¼ cup milk (to dissolve the cornstarch, if using)
- Ground cinnamon, for topping
Instructions
- Boil the rice in the water, then cover and simmer about 10 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed.
- Pour in the milk slowly, stirring, and add the sugar.
- Cook on low 30 to 35 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
- For extra body, dissolve the cornstarch in the ¼ cup milk and stir in during the last 5 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla off the heat and cool slightly.
- Portion into bowls, dust generously with cinnamon, and serve warm — or chill at least 2 hours for the summer version.
Recipe Notes
- Lemon or orange peel simmered in the milk is a lovely regional variation — and brings it even closer to Portuguese arroz doce.
- It thickens dramatically as it chills; loosen with a splash of milk if needed.
- A drizzle of Greek honey over the cinnamon is gilding, and correct.
