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Home » Recipes » Dessert » Lebanese Rice Pudding

Lebanese Rice Pudding

Published: Apr 28, 2022 · Modified: Apr 28, 2022 by Farah Abumaizar · 8 Comments

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A classic Lebanese rice pudding, riz bi haleeb is creamy, comforting and so simple to make. Rice pudding with rose water is a very common Middle Eastern dessert, and this is my foolproof method on how to make it with only 15 minutes of active prep time and a handful of ingredients.

individual rice puddings in glassware with pistachios and rose petals
Jump to:
  • What is Lebanese rice pudding?
  • Why should I make Middle Eastern rice pudding?
  • Ingredients you need for riz bi haleeb:
  • How to make this:
  • Recipe FAQs:
  • Lebanese Rice Pudding

What is Lebanese rice pudding?

A simple, comforting rose water rice pudding that’s lightly sweetened and infused with Middle Eastern flavors. The rice is cooked in milk to give a creamy and comforting dessert. You portion the riz bi haleeb and chill until cold to enjoy as a delicious fridge dessert.

Why should I make Middle Eastern rice pudding?

It’s such a simple easy dessert to throw together. You just need a handful of ingredients and about 15 minutes of active prep time. Rice pudding on the stove is one of the simplest desserts you could make!

close up photo of rice puddings with a cloth in the background

The fragrant additions of rose water and orange blossom water really up the flavor of what would otherwise be a simple rice pudding. Exotic but still comforting!

You can use leftover rice to make this, so it’s a great way to use up a big batch of cooked rice.

Rice pudding can be easily customized to include any toppings or mix-ins you like, and I’ve included some suggestions below.

Ingredients you need for riz bi haleeb:

ingredients needed to make middle eastern rice pudding on a white background

Egyptian Rice (calrose rice): a short grain rice that will give the rice pudding the ultimate soft texture throughout. I have a recipe post on how you’d typically cook Egyptian rice here, if making it as a side dish to any Middle Eastern dish.

Water: to cook the rice

Whole Milk: full fat milk will give you the creamiest result.

Cornstarch (cornflour): to thicken the rice pudding

Sugar: I add just a little for a touch of sweetness, feel free to adjust and add more if you’d like a sweeter rice pudding.

Rose water and orange blossom water: two commonly used flavoring agents in Middle Eastern desserts, you’ll find these in any Middle Eastern supermarket or online.

Mastic Gum or mistika: a plant resin with a really distinct flavor (what Arabic gum is made of). It really gives the rice pudding such a lovely Arabic flavor You’d find this in Middle Eastern supermarkets or online. If you can’t find it, you can leave it out.

How to make this:

Rice boiling in water in a saucepan
Rice pudding in a saucepan with a wooden spoon as it cooks
Portioned out rice pudding in small glassware with a pot in the background
  1. Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes, then rinse until water runs clear.
  2. Add this drained rice to a saucepan along with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and rice is tender and cooked.
  3. Add most of the milk, then to the remaining bit of milk add the cornstarch, and stir to mix. Add this cornstarch slurry too, as well as the sugar and mastic gum. Stir.
  4. Bring to a slow boil, and continue to cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture is the thickness of a thick soup, and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
  5. Off the heat, add the rose water and orange blossom water and stir. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then place in individual serving bowls. Garnish with pistachios and dried rose petals if you like. Let the rice pudding cool completely, then refrigerate for at least a few hours. It’ll thicken as it cools.

What to top Lebanese rice pudding with:

Photo of rice pudding with a scoop being taken out

For a Middle Eastern style of rice pudding, we usually top ours with pistachios, and sometimes cinnamon powder, dried rose petals for visual appeal, and maybe even desiccated coconut and golden raisins.

For extra sweetness, you can drizzle with honey, rose water sugar syrup, or even a caramel sauce like honey caramel or orange blossom salted caramel. You could absolutely dollop on some jam, like fig jam, rose petal jam, or berry jam.

How to prevent rice pudding from getting a skin:

I really don’t mind the skin that forms on top of rice pudding as it cools, I find it satisfying to break through it and get to the creamy inside.

If you do prefer your pudding without a skin, the easy way to prevent that from happening is putting a small circle of parchment paper (less sticky) or some plastic wrap (will stick more) directly on the surface of each rice pudding as it cools at room temp.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I make this rice pudding vegan?

Yes! Substitute the whole milk with a full fat non dairy milk, like coconut milk.

Is this gluten free?

Yes! Since it is thickened with cornstarch (make sure you’re using a brand with no cross contamination), and rice is naturally gluten free this is a great dessert to enjoy if you are avoiding gluten.

Do you have to soak the rice?

Some people prefer not soaking the rice, for a thicker starchier pudding. I prefer soaking it and making sure there isn’t any debris and then rinsing until clear. This gets rid of any extra starch so that the rice pudding isn’t too thick and starchy. It’ll get it’s thickness from the cornstarch.

Can I make this as a large portion instead of individual serving dishes?

Definitely! Just portion it in a large pyrex bowl or trifle bowl and serve it family stylel.

Related Middle Eastern Dessert Recipes:

  • Luqaimat
  • Aish El Saraya
  • Maamoul
  • Tamriyeh

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card and a comment!

Lebanese Rice Pudding

This classic Middle Eastern rice pudding, is cold, creamy, comforting and an absolute breeze to make!
5 from 4 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 3 hours
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 147kcal
Author: Farah Abumaizar

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Egyptian (calrose) rice
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 2 cups full fat milk
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup white sugar 50g
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed mastic gum (optional) mistika
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater
  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Instructions

  • If you have time, soak the rice for 15 minutes, then rinse until the water runs clear.
  • In a medium saucepan, add the 1.5 cups of water and rice. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender and cooked through.
  • Add most of the milk, then to the remaining bit of milk add the cornstarch and whisk with a fork to form a slurry. Add this remaining milk/cornstarch mixture to the pan, along with the sugar and mastic gum if using.
  • Bring to a slow boil, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens into something like a thick soup texture and coats the back of the spoon, around 5 minutes or so.
  • Take the pan off the heat. and add the rosewater and orange blossom water. Stir to combine. Let the rice mixture cool for 5 minutes before placing into serving bowls. Garnish with slivered pistachios, and dried rose petals if you like. Allow the pudding to cool completely before storing in the fridge.
  • Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and preferably overnight. It'll thicken the longer it cools. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

You can make this sweeter if you like by adding an additional 1/4 cup of sugar.
For best results, use short grain to medium grain rice. If you can’t find Mastic gum, just leave it out!
You’ll know when the rice pudding is done cooking when it coats the back of a spoon and the mixture is the thickness of thick creamy soup.
Garnishes:  You can garnish with any nuts you like, cinnamon powder, raisins, cocoa powder, anything at all!
Storing Leftovers: Leftover rice pudding will last 4-5 days in the fridge. I’ve never tried freezing it, but rice pudding can technically be frozen for up to 2-3 months in a tight container. I’d recommend enjoying it fresh!

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 35mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @everylittlecrumb or tag #everylittlecrumb!
Nutrition Facts
Lebanese Rice Pudding
Amount Per Serving
Calories 147 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 35mg2%
Potassium 140mg4%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 132IU3%
Calcium 106mg11%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Riyad says

    May 02, 2022 at 11:55 am

    5 stars
    looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      May 03, 2022 at 7:56 pm

      Thanks so much!!

      Reply
  2. Sharon Chen says

    April 28, 2022 at 12:50 pm

    5 stars
    Interesting and looks delicious! Haven’t tried making pudding out of rice before!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      April 28, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      You’ll love it! Simple and yum!

      Reply
  3. Ieva says

    April 28, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe to try for something a little bit different (at least for Western pallets). Perfect amount of rose water and orange blossom – not overpowering and worked great with each other! Really well thought out recipe! Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      April 28, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      So happy you think that! Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  4. Suja md says

    April 28, 2022 at 11:53 am

    5 stars
    We really like this recipe. Never knew it was this easy to make. Will be trying without further delay!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      April 28, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      That’s great thanks so much Suja!!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Farah! I've been cooking and baking most of my life. I love Middle Eastern food, and decadent breakfast and desserts. Welcome to my food world!

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