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Vegetarian, Maghreb and Middle East

Lebanese spinach with vermicelli rice

Lebanese spinach is a vegetarian dish of spinach simmered with golden onions, chickpeas, garlic, cilantro and lemon, served with vermicelli rice. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is easy to make, and costs €1.80 per serving. The key is browning the onions well and adding the lemon off the heat at the very end.

Tonight, spinach simmered soft with onions, cilantro and lemon, Beirut style, with golden vermicelli rice on the side.

Lebanese spinach with vermicelli rice
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish plays on the contrast between soft, slow cooked spinach and the light crunch of rice studded with toasted vermicelli. Long cooked onions bring an almost caramelized sweetness, which garlic, fresh cilantro and lemon juice wake up right at the end. Chickpeas add body and bite, turning a simple vegetable dish into a full meal.

It's a great weeknight recipe when you want a vegetarian dinner that doesn't need constant watching, since the rice steams quietly under its lid. Kids generally like the golden vermicelli rice, and you can adjust the lemon at the table to taste. Mon Chou suggests it for evenings when you want something simple, fragrant and meat free.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fresh or frozen spinach 800 g
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Lemon 2

Pantry

  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Canned chickpeasoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Vermicellioften in the pantry 60 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Toast the broken vermicelli in a tablespoon of oil, stirring, then add the rice and let it turn translucent for a minute. 3 min

    Watch closely, vermicelli goes from golden to burnt in seconds.

  2. Pour in boiling salted water, twice the volume of the rice, cover and cook over very low heat. 15 min

    Don't lift the lid, the rice steams as it cooks.

  3. Meanwhile, cook the sliced onions in oil until well browned, then add the garlic. 10 min

    Golden onions carry all the flavor of this dish, take your time with them.

  4. Add the washed spinach and chickpeas, cover and let the spinach wilt down, stirring occasionally. 8 min

    If using frozen spinach, thaw it fully and squeeze it well.

  5. Off the heat, stir in the chopped cilantro and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve with the rice.

    Add the lemon at the end so it keeps its bright acidity.

Our tips to get it right

  • Rinse fresh spinach well and drain it thoroughly before cooking, extra water will make it boil instead of wilt.
  • Break the vermicelli into small pieces before toasting them, they'll spread more evenly through the rice and cook more consistently.
  • Taste the dish right before serving, salt and lemon often need adjusting once the spinach and rice are combined.

The variations

  • Swap fresh spinach for frozen spinach when it's out of season, just thaw it fully and squeeze out the excess water.
  • Add diced tomato or red bell pepper to the onions for a more colorful, slightly tangier version.
  • For rushed kids, serve the vermicelli rice with just a squeeze of lemon on the spinach, skipping most of the cilantro.

What to serve it with

  • Plain yogurt or labneh
  • Lebanese flatbread
  • Cucumber and mint salad

Storage

Keep the spinach and rice in separate sealed containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The rice freezes well for up to a month, the spinach a bit less well since it loses texture. Reheat in a pan or microwave with a splash of water so it doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you use frozen spinach straight from the freezer?

Yes, but thaw it first and squeeze it well by hand to remove the water. Otherwise the dish turns watery and the spinach loses its soft texture.

How do you get golden rice without burning it?

Toast the vermicelli over medium heat, stirring constantly, since they burn very quickly. As soon as they turn caramel colored, add the rice right away to stop them cooking further.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the spinach and rice a few hours ahead and reheat gently at mealtime. Add the fresh lemon juice only right before serving to keep its bright flavor.

Can you replace the chickpeas with another legume?

Cooked lentils or white beans work well in place of chickpeas. Keep the same amount, about 200g drained, to keep the dish balanced.

How long does it take to make a Lebanese spinach with vermicelli rice?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Lebanese spinach with vermicelli rice?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Lebanese spinach with vermicelli rice cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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