Turkish Spinach with Tomatoes and Rice

Name: Turkish Spinach with Tomatoes and Rice
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 to 6 side-dish servings
Cuisine: turkish
Ingredients: 2 pounds spinach, stemmed and washed in 2 changes water, or 1 pound baby spinach; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 can diced tomatoes in juice or, in season, 1 1/4 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped; 1 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock, garlic broth or water; 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste); 3 tablespoons long grain or basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water, or 1/2 cup cooked brown rice; Salt to taste; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 3/4 to 1 teaspoon sugar (to taste)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 50 minutes
Rating: 5(125)
Notes: Read community notes

Not every tradition allows rice during Passover; in this fragrant dish there’s just enough of it to add substance to the vegetables. Some Sephardic Jews have traditionally allowed rice during Passover, whereas many Ashkenazi Jews do not. There isn’t much of it in this Turkish spinach dish, adapted from a recipe in Clifford A. Wright’s “A Mediterranean Feast,” just enough to add substance to the vegetables.

Featured in: Sephardic Dishes for the Passover Table

Learn: How to Make Rice

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 side-dish servings

2pounds spinach, stemmed and washed in 2 changes water, or 1 pound baby spinach
2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2garlic cloves, minced
1can diced tomatoes in juice or, in season, 1¼ pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1cup chicken stock, vegetable stock, garlic broth or water
2 to 3tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)
3tablespoons long grain or basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water, or ½ cup cooked brown rice
Salt to taste
2teaspoons paprika
½teaspoon cinnamon
¾ to 1teaspoon sugar (to taste)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Wash the spinach and, working in batches if necessary, steam for about 2 minutes above an inch of boiling water, just until wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it begins to sizzle and smell fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add the stock or water, the lemon juice, rice, salt, paprika, cinnamon, sugar and steamed spinach and bring to a simmer.
Step 3
Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the mixture has the consistency of a thick stew, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or warm.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can steam the spinach 1 or 2 days ahead. This dish makes a great leftover that I enjoyed for 3 days running.

Ratings

5 out of 5

125 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Chris Ogan6 years ago

Having cooked this dish for many years, I can add a little information. It is bessed served with plain yogurt on the side, and can also include some sauteed ground meat and onions. In fact, I've never eaten it without at least one medium-sized onion chopped and sauteed. My own way of cooking it derives from the years I have lived in Turkey and the traditions of my Turkish family. Oh, and cinnamon would not be added to this dish.

Nancy5 years ago

Tasty, easy and healthy. I made this with blanched collard greens and leftover rice that I had cooked with turmeric, which added a nice color, and added chopped onions as suggested by previous reviewers. One reviewer suggested that they wouldn’t add cinnamon in Turkey, which I can’t speak to, but I thought the cinnamon was what made the dish distinct and delicious.

Yesim2 years ago

I have Turkish heritage and have loved this dish all of my life. Even my kid who doesn't like spinach loves this dish. It feels like a super food and all of the flavors are so good. I have to agree that cinnamon has no place in this dish. Please omit the cinnamon. Turkish savory dishes do not include cinnamon, I think someone is confusing cultures here. I don't even add paprika. Salt, a tiny bit of sugar (because all olive oil based dishes with tomato need a touch of sugar) and some lemon juice.

meinmunich8 months ago

Made it once before and I didn’t love it. Made it second time and I love it! Don’t know what I did differently. Used a small can of red chili beans instead of rice. The flavor was lovely and it’s a good change from stir fry spinach.

Aimee1 year ago

Perfect way to use super ripe garden tomatoes and a bag of baby spinach on the edge. I did not have paprika, so I substituted 3 teaspoons of garam masala for both the paprika and cinnamon. Delicious!

jeepy1 year ago

Yuck. Did not like the taste with the paprika and sauce was watery.

Jenny Pye2 years ago

I used baby spinach (from our garden) and fresh tomatoes. I de-seeded the tomatoes but didn’t peel them because who’s got time for that?? Next time I’d use the whole tomato - what could possibly go wrong? I hate wasting all that lovely pulp. I sautéed some onions and added those. Omitted rice and used two cans of chickpeas (one was Greek style from Trader Joe’s. I thought it was a little bland, so added a sprinkle of crumbled feta. Served with parantha bread. It was incredible

Yesim2 years ago

Sharon3 years ago

Best suggestion: omit rice, substitute 1 or 2 cans chick peas

Sharon3 years ago

This makes four SMALL servings.

Sharon3 years ago

Definitely add a can or two of chick peas.

Jenny3 years ago

I have made this recipe twice now, and it is perfect for a light work lunch. I have made two different versions- 1 with a can of chickpeas added and 1 with a pound of ground turkey added. I am usually pro meat protein, but for this dish I actually prefer the chickpeas. The meat was too much. So maybe if you want ground turkey add half that- making veggies the star. Either way, with both I add a chopped onion and eat it with seedy wheat toast. Light, packed with veggies, unusual and delicious.

Castle O'Neill3 years ago

Yum, used smoky paprika - good way to sue lots of greens.

meinmunich5 years ago

I fried chickpeas in paprika after the frying the onions and garlic. The cinnamon undertone was nice but it lacked bold flavor I was hoping for. I still have a big pot of it as a leftover and I plan to add ground beef or turkey (fried separately in a pan), chopped picked jalapeño, and maybe aleppo pepper, hoping for an extra kick it needs. I suppose it would be more like a chili, then...

Nancy5 years ago

Carol6 years ago

Delicious. Made with fresh tomatoes, ground turkey and onions. Sour cream on side really adds to it.

Carol6 years ago

Whoops, I meant yogurt on the side.

tdalec6 years ago

I made this as a main dish by using only a pound of baby spinach and adding a pound of browned ground turkey and a third of a cup of chopped kalamata olives to the final simmer. The cinnamon may not be canonical, but the family loved it. Made a perfect dinner for four.

Petra6 years ago

We loved this! A very flavorful way of serving spinach.

Chris Ogan6 years ago

Private notes are only visible to you.