Christmas

Swedish Rice Pudding ("Risgrynsgröt")

November 26, 2024
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Photo by Nea Arentzen
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour
  • Serves 8 servings
Author Notes

Rice pudding in Sweden is often eaten on Christmas night, almost as a dessert or evening snack. It's tradition that you put a single blanched almond in at the end, and whoever winds up with it, wins a pink marzipan pig. Kids will also often put out a little bowl for "santa's helpers," just the way Americans put out cookies.

Here you'll find a classic recipe that's easy to follow and very similar to any rice pudding you'd get in Sweden. It's important that you don't skimp on the butter, sugar, and cinnamon when serving. I also love to drizzle a little milk over as well.

Tips & Tricks:

• Make it the day before and store it in the fridge overnight. To reheat, return it to the stove with a little extra milk to loosen it up.
• If you have leftovers, you could make "Ris à la Malta"–another Swedish dish that combines COLD rice pudding with whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla, and gets topped with sliced orange and almonds.

Nea Arentzen

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Ingredients
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond crystal kosher salt
  • 6 cups whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 4 to 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 blanched almond
  • TO SERVE
  • cinnamon
  • granulated white sugar
  • butter
  • milk
Directions
  1. Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear; add to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with the water, butter, and salt. Cover and cook over low heat until all the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Add the milk, sugar, and cinnamon sticks, then gently stir to break up the rice and combine everything. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally so that rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, until most of the milk has been absorbed and the rice is soft, 35 to 40 minutes.
  3. Serve warm with cinnamon, sugar, butter, and a drizzle of milk.

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Recipe by: Nea Arentzen

Test Kitchen Content Creator & Recipe Developer at Food52

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