Easy Middle Eastern Rice Pudding Recipe
By Suzy Karadsheh
Category
Dessert
Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Servings
6
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Chilling Time (Optional)
2 Hours
Total Time
2 Hours 50 Minutes
This easy Middle Eastern rice pudding recipe is a new favorite in my household! It's a basic stove-top rice pudding infused with vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. Make the garnish or toppings your own, or use honey and crushed nuts like I do.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
-
1 cup medium grain rice (like Arborio, unrinsed)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk, plus more as needed
-
Ground cinnamon
-
Honey
-
Crushed pistachios and/or walnuts
To Serve
Directions
Flavor the milk. Place the milk, half and half, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a medium saucepan. Heat on high and watch carefully. Just before the milk mixture boils, remove from the heat. Cool completely and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight so that the flavors develop and intensify (if you don't have time, you can proceed from here).
Reduce the milk. Remove the milk mixture from the fridge and stir in the rice, sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat, then turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Continue to stir and simmer until the rice is fully cooked. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring regularly. If the mixture begins to look dry, add a little water (2 tablespoons or so at a time). The mixture should be moist, and the rice should be tender but maintain a little bite (not mushy).
Chill the rice pudding. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and evaporated milk. Carefully spoon out the cinnamon sticks and cloves, then transfer to small serving bowls or jars. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Serve. When ready, add more evaporated milk to each bowl to loosen the rice pudding, if you find that it has hardened in the fridge. Serve cold, or gently warm in the microwave or stovetop. Finish each pudding with a pinch of ground cinnamon, drizzle of honey, and spoonful of crushed nuts. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories 326, Fat 12.4 grams, Monounsaturated Fat 3300 milligrams, Sodium 73.1 milligrams, Sugar 13.2 grams, Calcium 195.8 milligrams, Carbs 45.4 grams, Saturated Fat 7.5 grams, Trans Fat 0.2 grams, Potassium 257.9 milligrams, Vitamin A 10.7 milligrams, Iron 1.8 milligrams, Protein 7.5 grams, Polyunsaturated Fat 600 milligrams, Cholesterol 38 milligrams, Fiber 1.8 grams, Vitamin C 0.7 milligrams