Oriz na Mlyako (Bulgarian Rice Pudding)
A simple Bulgarian rice pudding boiled in milk with just rice, sugar, and cinnamon, then cooled and served cold rather than warm - unlike most Western rice puddings, letting it chill fully before eating is what gives it its familiar, nostalgic texture, and short-grain rice is what makes it genuinely creamy instead of loose and soupy.
⏱ 40 min🍽 4 servings
dessertvegetarianquick
Ingredients
- •2/3 cup short-grain rice
- •2 cups water
- •3 cups milk
- •1/3 cup sugar
- •1 cinnamon stick
- •1 tsp vanilla extract
- •1/2 tsp cinnamon, for serving
Steps
- 1.Rinse the rice and combine with the water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, until the water is mostly absorbed.
- 2.Add the milk, sugar, and cinnamon stick, and bring back to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
- 3.Cook uncovered on low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is fully tender and the mixture has thickened to a creamy, pourable consistency - short-grain rice is what gives real Bulgarian rice pudding its characteristic creaminess, not long-grain rice.
- 4.Remove the cinnamon stick, stir in the vanilla extract, and let cool to room temperature.
- 5.Refrigerate for at least 2 hours - Bulgarian rice pudding is traditionally cooled and eaten cold rather than served warm, which is what gives it its familiar set texture.
- 6.Dust with a little extra cinnamon before serving.