Rizogalo (Ρυζόγαλο) — Greek Creamy Cinnamon Rice Pudding
Rizogalo is a beloved Greek comfort dessert made by slowly simmering rice in milk until silky and spoonable. Finished with cinnamon, it’s served warm or chilled in homes and bakeries across Greece.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 6 · Total: 55 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 120 g short-grain rice (Arborio or Greek glase rice) (rinsed briefly until water runs mostly clear)
- 240 ml water (for par-cooking the rice)
- 1000 ml whole milk (3.25% fat)
- 90 g granulated sugar
- 12 g cornstarch (about 1 tbsp, for a stable, creamy set)
- 5 ml vanilla extract (1 tsp)
- 1 g fine sea salt (about 1/4 tsp)
- 3 g ground cinnamon (about 1 1/2 tsp, for topping)
Steps (summary)
- Rinse the rice briefly, then drain well so it doesn’t dilute the milk later. Add the rice and 240 ml water to a medium saucepan…
- Pour in 1000 ml whole milk and add the salt, stirring to loosen any rice from the bottom. Bring the mixture just to a simmer ov…
- Cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom to prevent scorching. The rice shou…
- Stir in the sugar and continue simmering for 5 minutes, keeping the heat low to avoid curdling. The pudding will look slightly…
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 60 ml cold milk until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir the slurry into the pot…
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract to preserve its aroma. Ladle into 6 bowls (about 200–220 ml each), then le…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Rizogalo is a staple Greek home dessert, often served after family meals or as a bakery treat in small bowls dusted with cinnamon. Its simple pantry ingredients and slow stirring reflect the everyday, comforting side of Greek cooking.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Keep the heat at a gentle simmer (about 90–95°C) and stir frequently to prevent milk scorching; a heavy-bottomed pot helps a lot.
- For extra creaminess without changing flavor, replace 100 ml of the milk with 100 ml evaporated milk and keep the same cooking time.
- Stop cooking when it looks slightly loose; rizogalo thickens noticeably as it cools and can become overly stiff if cooked too long.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Boiling the milk vigorously, causing scorching or a slightly curdled taste.
✅ Fix: Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir frequently, especially around the edges and bottom of the pot.
❌ Cooking until very thick in the pot, leading to an overly stiff pudding after chilling.
✅ Fix: Stop when it coats a spoon but still flows slowly; it will set more as it cools.
❌ Adding cornstarch directly to the hot pot, creating lumps.
✅ Fix: Always dissolve cornstarch in cold milk first, then stream it in while whisking continuously.
🧊 How to Store
Cool to room temperature within 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Serve cold or rewarm gently over low heat with 30–60 ml milk, stirring until creamy; avoid boiling to prevent a grainy texture.
📅 Make Ahead
Rizogalo is ideal for making ahead: cook, portion into bowls, cool, then refrigerate for up to 4 days. For the best aroma, dust with cinnamon just before serving rather than during storage.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Greek coffee
- toasted almonds
- spoon sweets (glyko tou koutaliou)
- fresh figs or berries.
Regional Variations
- Thessaloniki-style: served chilled and quite thick, often with a heavier cinnamon dusting.
- Island variation: scented with lemon zest or a small piece of mastiha (mastic) for a floral note.
- Bakery-style: made slightly sweeter and poured into shallow bowls for a firm, glossy set.
Ingredients
- 120 gshort-grain rice (Arborio or Greek glase rice) (rinsed briefly until water runs mostly clear)
- 240 mlwater (for par-cooking the rice)
- 1000 mlwhole milk (3.25% fat)
- 90 ggranulated sugar
- 12 gcornstarch (about 1 tbsp, for a stable, creamy set)
- 5 mlvanilla extract (1 tsp)
- 1 gfine sea salt (about 1/4 tsp)
- 3 gground cinnamon (about 1 1/2 tsp, for topping)
🔄 Substitutions
- whole milk→ 2% milk
- short-grain rice (Arborio or Greek glase rice)→ medium-grain rice
- vanilla extract→ lemon zest
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the rice briefly, then drain well so it doesn’t dilute the milk later. Add the rice and 240 ml water to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed.
- 2
Pour in 1000 ml whole milk and add the salt, stirring to loosen any rice from the bottom. Bring the mixture just to a simmer over medium heat, then immediately lower to medium-low so it bubbles gently without boiling hard.
- 3
Cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom to prevent scorching. The rice should look swollen and tender, and the milk will begin to thicken into a creamy base.
- 4
Stir in the sugar and continue simmering for 5 minutes, keeping the heat low to avoid curdling. The pudding will look slightly looser than the final texture, because it thickens more as it cools.
- 5
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 60 ml cold milk until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir the slurry into the pot in a thin stream while whisking continuously, then cook for 2–3 minutes until the rizogalo turns glossy and coats the spoon.
- 6
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract to preserve its aroma. Ladle into 6 bowls (about 200–220 ml each), then let stand 10 minutes before dusting each portion evenly with ground cinnamon.
- 7
Serve warm for a softer, more fluid texture, or chill uncovered until no longer steaming and then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours for a thicker set. If serving chilled, add a fresh pinch of cinnamon on top right before serving for the brightest flavor.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Rizogalo is a staple Greek home dessert, often served after family meals or as a bakery treat in small bowls dusted with cinnamon. Its simple pantry ingredients and slow stirring reflect the everyday, comforting side of Greek cooking.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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