Fasting Spinach with Rice (Spanakorizo)

Preparation

1. Preparing the Spinach

If using fresh spinach, wash thoroughly in several changes of water (spinach often contains grit). Remove the thick central stems from larger leaves, but smaller stems can be left. Roughly chop the leaves.

If using frozen spinach, thaw at room temperature or briefly in the microwave, then squeeze out thoroughly by hand or through a colander — excess water will dilute the dish.

2. Sweating the Onion

In a deep, wide pot, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sweat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent with a slight golden tinge. Do not rush this step — well-cooked onion is the flavour base of the dish.

Add the spring onions and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.

3. Adding the Spinach

Add the spinach to the pot in one or two batches (fresh spinach takes up a lot of space but wilts down quickly). Stir and cook until the spinach has wilted and reduced in volume by about two thirds — 3–4 minutes for fresh, 2 minutes for frozen. Season lightly with salt.

4. Cooking the Rice

Add the rice directly to the pot with the spinach and stir to combine well. Pour in 350–400 ml of hot water (or lightly salted vegetable stock). Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 18–20 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.

Every 5–6 minutes, stir gently with a spoon to prevent the rice sticking to the bottom.

5. Finishing

Remove from the heat. Squeeze the juice of a whole lemon evenly over the surface, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and scatter with the chopped dill. Cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving — during this time the rice absorbs the lemon and the aromatic steam from the herbs.

Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed.

Tips

Lemon is essential: do not skip the lemon — it is what transforms this dish from plain rice and spinach. Freshly squeezed juice (not from a bottle) gives the authentic Mediterranean character. Grated lemon zest (the yellow outer layer only, not the bitter white pith) is a bonus for a more intense citrus note.

Consistency: this dish should be moist but not runny — the rice should be tender and absorb all the juices, but the dish must not be dry or sloppy. If it has dried out, add a little boiling water. If too wet, cook uncovered for a few more minutes.

Frozen spinach: just as good as fresh, and sometimes better as it is already washed and blanched. The key is to squeeze out the water thoroughly before using — if too much remains, the dish becomes spinach soup.

Fasting context in the Serbian calendar: spinach with rice is a classic late-winter and early-spring fasting dish — spinach is available in February and March, exactly when Great Lent falls. The dish is traditionally made for St Sava’s Day (27 January) and throughout the Triodion period, the month preceding Great Lent.

Variations: add a handful of pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries for a gentle tartness and a decorative effect. Or add a pinch of cinnamon for warmth — cinnamon in spinach sounds unusual, but it is a classic spice in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking.