Greek leeks and rice is one of those dishes that is quite common here in Greece especially during the fasting period- nisteia (a period where Greeks do not consume most animal products for religious reasons). It is so delicious and comforting that I would not associate it with any type of “fasting”. Prasorizo is rich, creamy and sweet thanks to the caramelized leeks and honestly I could eat bowls and bowls of it! It’s like a vegan risotto. Of course if you are consuming cheese, feta is the perfect accompaniment.
Prasorizo (praso is the Greek word for leeks) is mainly a dish that is cooked at home and not found very often in restaurants. It tastes better the next day and ideally it is consumed at room temperature. Leeks belong to the same family as onions, but provide a sweeter, milder flavor. Don’t be fooled by its mellow flavor, the leek is a nutrition powerhouse; it is an excellent source of vitamin K, beta-carotene, and manganese, and also contains good amounts of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid and copper. And let’s not forget that they also are rich in anticancerogenic antioxidants.
The beauty in this dish is in its simplicity, I’ve seen many recipes that include all sorts of other ingredients, if you want to enjoy the flavors stick to just the basic ingredients: leeks, rice, olive oil.
The Right Rice
The authentic prasorizo needs to be and look creamy, this is not meant to be like a pilaf. The rice should not have a bite, but you don’t want it sticky either. The key is use the right kind of rice and cooking technique.
Most traditional Greek recipes such as Greek spinach and rice (spanakorizo) and stuffed tomatoes (gemista) require medium grain rice, here in Greece it is called “Carolina” but you may use Arborio if you are unable to find medium grain. From a quick search on Google I was able to find these brands that have medium grain rice here, here and here. Also, I would avoid using brown rice for this recipe as it will not cook to the point that it will be creamy.
This is usually served as a main dish. For non-vegans you can also accompany it with a chunk of feta cheese. It is also very nice as a side dish though.
Greek Leeks and Rice – Prasorizo
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) leeks sliced in ½ inch wide slices white and pale green parts only
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- ½ cup medium grain rice uncooked
- 1 ¼ cup boiling water more as needed
- salt and pepper as needed
- Lemon for serving
Instructions
- Wash and slice the leeks. Place the leeks in a pot of boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes. Strain leeks and set aside.
- In a pot or deep pan, heat the olive oil on medium low heat and add the leeks and sauté until leeks are soft (about 6-7 minutes). Note: You do not want to brown them.
- Add the dill and the tomato paste and stir a couple of times, than add the rice and about 1 ¼ cup of hot water. Add salt as needed (I added about ½ a teaspoon) and mix well.
- Cover the pot with its lid and simmer at low heat for about 20 minutes, until rice is soft. Check regularly and add additional hot water as needed. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes with the lid on.
- Serve as a main course with a few drops of lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.
Photos by Elena Paravantes © All Rights Reserved
Dear Elana. I had been dabbling with the Mediterranean diet for some time and I do not eat meat. I’m so glad I bought your cookbook as rather than eat the same boring salads and veg every day, I now have an amazing range of dishes which I am thoroughly enjoying and which are so easy to make. I feel enlightened and have never enjoyed food so much. Thank you.
This recipe is simplicity at its best! The sum is greater than its. parts. It reminds me a bit of a risotto. I really LOVE this dish! Thanks for posting this again! It’s going on this weeks menu! Oh, and I also freeze chopped leeks so I can keep them on hand all the time!
This is so good!! And so easy to make.
Hi ELena- kind of a random spot to ask a question, but with Great Lent upon us, what do you suggest for breakfasts and lunches? I am trying to make enough of the main dinner meal to have left overs, but there are only so many cheerios I can eat for breakfast- sorry they are quick- before i have to leave for work. I just wondered what you might do… I also am trying to find a source for Vleeta near me, and a source for seeds to grow some this year…do you ever cook with this?
Hi Joanna, That is a good question! So I wrote a post with some vegan breakfast ideas. Yes, we eat vleeta often, boiled with olive oil and lemon.
Hello! Can you advise me please whether what you refer to as tomato ‘paste’ is the same as tomato ‘purée’? And if not what can I substitute for tomato paste?
Hi Rosie,
Tomato paste is tomato puree that has been cooked and reduced,it’s a thick paste. You can use tomato puree, for every tb tomato paste use 3-4 tb tomato puree.However, you need to adjust any water you add, as tomato paste is not liquidy.
Delicious and so easy. Anything could be added to change it up.
Hi, why do you not want to have the brown part of sauteing the leeks? I’ve never boiled leeks, only sauteed them in a frying pan, and I was just wondering how it would alter the final taste to skip boiling them, and just saute them instead before adding in the rice.
Hi Thea, Helps soften them up, so that they cook at the same rate with the rest of the ingredients and blend in smoothly. You don’t want to have chunks of leeks in the dish, but rather a smooth texture.
Delicious recipe! It tasted just like my grandmother’s!
Amazing recipe! Just how my sweet grandmother used to make it!
Looks delicious! Can this be made with quinoa instead of rice? Would you change anything to the amount of hot water added?
Quinoa may cook a bit quicker than rice, so you may have to adjust the time while also making sure the leeks are cooked. It will be a different texture though.
I call this pras me oriz totali Albanian .
Hello! I am Roxani from Athens.
I tried the recipe this easter for my family and it was delicious! Thank you very much
Thank you Roxani! Happy you enjoyed it.
Absolutely delicious and easy rice dish with not too many ingredients. Cooks up quickly and extremely tasty
Love it!
Thanks Cathy!
Thanks for Prasorizo recipe. Looks delicious and authentic.
Enjoy!
Yum! How fresh to add strawberries and feta as a grilled cheese sandwich!