Every country has a rice pudding, but this Dominican Arroz con leche recipe makes for a creamy texture and heavenly mix of spices that stands out above the crowd. A creamy, rich dish, I teach you how to make the Arroz con dulce and Arroz con leche amargo versions.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Feb 1, 2003
Why we ❤️ it
Arroz con Leche se quiere casar / Con una viudita de la capital / Que sepa tejer, que sepa bordar / Que ponga la aguja en el mismo lugar.
- Children's rhyme
Dominican-style Arroz con Leche is one of the most popular and simple-to-make desserts in the Dominican Republic. To the naked eye, it could look like any same old rice pudding, but once you taste it, you can't fail to notice the touch of spices that make the flavor in our Arroz con Dulce so different, in a good way.
Arroz con leche or arroz con dulce.
Arroz con dulce
In the Dominican Republic, this dish is also known as arroz con dulce, to differentiate it from a savory rice pudding version that is also relatively popular.
Arroz con leche amargo
Arroz con leche salado or arroz con leche amargo (it's not bitter, "amargo" also means unsweetened in Spanish) is a version of this dish traditionally served as dinner, sometimes prepared with leftover arroz blanco (white rice).
My mother used to make the sugarless version often. Bear in mind that this is an acquired taste - that I never acquired myself. If you want to try it, there are also instructions in the notes below.
Top tips
- How to make arroz con dulce your way: Each person seems to have a favorite consistency for this dish. I prefer this (the rice is very soft and the pudding is very creamy). Later on, when preparing this dish again, you can adjust the liquids to obtain the consistency you prefer.
- How to make arroz con leche "amargo": If you want to make the sugar-free rice pudding that is served for breakfast, do not add the sugar listed in the ingredients, and instead of the teaspoon of salt listed in the recipe, add salt to taste.
- How to make rice pudding using leftover rice: My mom's favorite trick to have arroz con leche in a moment was to reuse leftover arroz blanco... This is also a super rice quick, easy recipe to make arroz con leche using pre-cooked rice: Mix the cooked white rice and the other ingredients listed above (except the 4 cups of water!) and jump straight to step three. You can choose to make it savory or sweet.
- You can store leftover arroz con leche in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to two days. If it has dried out when you remove it from the fridge, stir in cold milk by the tablespoon until it returns to your preferred consistency.
- Some people add vanilla, some add lime zest to their arroz con leche, you can try those out, but that wasn't part of my family recipe.
- Some people use sweetened condensed milk to sweeten arroz con leche instead of sugar; you can try that too.
About our recipe
This is my favorite combination for arroz con leche (or arroz con dulce), you may adapt it to your own personal taste, and I give suggestions for doing that in the recipe notes.
Video
Recipe
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Arroz con Leche [Video+Recipe] Spiced Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 6 cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks, (or 1½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon)
- 6 cup water, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup sugar (white, granulated)
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly-grated)
- Cherries for decoration, (optional)
Instructions
1. Soak the rice
In a medium saucepan or pot (1 gal [4 lt]), soak the rice, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in 2 cups of water and let sit for a couple of hours.This step is optional, and it's my own method for cooking the rice.
2. Combine
- When the 2 hours have passed, add the remaining 4 cups of water.Add in the rice (including the water in which it was soaking, cinnamon and cloves). Add the salt.
3. Simmer
- Cook over medium temperature and stir regularly to avoid sticking. When the rice is tender (about 20 mins) add milk and sugar.When it breaks a boil again add the raisins. Cook over low heat until the mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency.
4. Cool and chill
- Remove from the heat. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Add the butter and mix well. Cover and let it cool down to room temperature.Stir to incorporate the crust that forms during cooling.
5. Serve
- Serve in small bowls and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Decorate with the cherries.
Cook's Notes
How to make arroz con dulce your way
Each person seems to have a favorite consistency for this dish. This is what I prefer (rice is very soft and the pudding very creamy). Later on, when preparing this dish again you can adjust the liquids to obtain the texture you prefer.How to make arroz con leche "amargo"
If you want to make the sugar-free rice pudding that is served for breakfast, do not add the sugar listed in the ingredients, and instead of the teaspoon of salt listed in the recipe, add salt to taste.How to make rice pudding using cooked rice
Ah, my mom's favorite trick to reuse old arroz blanco... This is also a super rice quick easy recipe to make arroz con leche using pre-cooked rice: Mix the cooked white rice and the rest of the ingredients listed above (except the 4 cups of water!) and jump straight to step three. You can choose to make it savory or sweet.Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More rice recipes
Rice is the staple of our cuisine, and we have many wonderful rice recipes in our blog. If you want to make a dessert inspired by this one, don't miss these rice pudding popsicles. We love Pera piña, a nutritional, refreshing drink. You'll love any of our Moro rice, this lovely corn and rice recipe, the popular Locrio de salami and Locrio de longaniza, and, of course, our beloved Dominican rice and concón.
Throughout the world
Arroz con leche --rice pudding in English-- is truly a nearly universal dish. It is made in many ways and with varying ingredients throughout the world. This arroz con leche recipe is just one of the many Hispanic rice pudding recipes.
Different countries may use different combinations of ingredients, but the basis will be rice, milk, sugar, and some spices.
In Denmark, a country where I have spent a lot of time, Rice Pudding is a Christmas tradition, and it's called Risalamande. It's prepared with cream, instead of whole milk, and served as part of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner.
Other types of arroz con leche are Mexican rice pudding, Rice Pudding with Coconut Brûlée, Portuguese Rice Pudding (Arroz Doce), Spanish Arroz con Leche.
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