Mediterranean Lemon Spinach Rice
This Greek-inspired Spinach Rice recipe is loaded with the flavors of the Mediterranean for a hearty and tasty side dish. Or top with some chickpeas or an egg for an easy and satisfying entree.
Servings 6 people
Calories 173kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek white and white-green part only chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup brown rice 190 grams
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 ½ - 2 cups vegetable broth
- 8 ounces fresh baby spinach chopped fine in food processor
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 lemon sliced (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute for 3-4 minutes then add the garlic, thyme and oregano, saute another 60 seconds. Just long enough to release their fragrance. Add wine and cook 2-3 minutes to reduce by half.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 leek, 3-4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ cup white wine
- Add the rice and stir to coat it with oil.1 cup brown rice
- Add 1 ½ cups of veggie broth, cover with lid, and cook for 25 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another 20 minutes or until rice is tender.1 ½ - 2 cups vegetable broth, 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
- Check after five minutes to see if you need to add more liquid. If the liquid cooks off and rice isn’t tender, add a bit more water a few tablespoons at a time and cook until tender.
- When rice is done cooking, turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust any seasonings. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.1 tablespoon lemon juice, Zest of one lemon, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1 lemon
Video
Notes
- Washing spinach: If you rinse the spinach, make sure it’s very dry before adding it to the rice. Use a salad spinner, squeeze the leaves in a clean tea towel, or pat dry with a paper towel. I sometimes let the spinach sit on the counter to dry out.
- Liquid: The spinach will release quite a bit of moisture when it’s added so be sure to cook it for a few minutes before determining if you need to add more liquid.
- Frozen spinach: You can use frozen spinach but it needs to be thawed and all the moisture needs to be squeezed out. You will need about five ounces of frozen spinach to equal 8 ounces of fresh.
- Bouillon: Do not add any salt before tasting the rice if you are using veggie bouillon.
Nutrition
Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 658mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3931IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg
