Creamed rice recipe

Comfort in a bowl, creamed rice was a staple dessert last century, made using budget-friendly basic ingredients and cooked on the stovetop, and it firmly deserves a place in this century. Top it with stewed or canned fruit for a delicious sweet treat that pleases the whole family, or serve dusted with a little nutmeg to balance out the sweetness.

How to make creamed rice: key tips

This recipe is pretty foolproof, you just need to keep an eye on things. After adding the milk to the rice mixture, be sure to stir it fairly regularly so that the rice doesn’t stick to the base of the pan, and so that the rice releases its starches, making the dish ‘creamy’.

One of the really great things about creamed rice is that you can determine the thickness and the sweetness. The rice is traditionally fairly sweet, but you can easily reduce the sugar, if you like. You can also make it thinner or thicker by adding more or less milk. 

Key ingredients in this creamed rice recipe

A medium-grain white rice (such as arborio) works best for creamed rice, as it’s thick and not overly long, and it becomes sticky and creamy as it’s stirred. Caster sugar is also best – it will dissolve more quickly than regular sugar, ensuring a more even sweetness throughout.

Always go for full-cream milk in creamed rice. This will elevate the creaminess, especially as there is no actual cream in the dessert.

Vanilla essence boosts the flavour, but you can use vanilla extract, if that’s what you have. If using the extract, only use about 1/2 tsp, as it’s stronger and richer than the essence. Of course, if you love vanilla, then add as much as you like!

Here are another 11 rice puddings to add to your repertoire. And this pineapple rice cream looks pretty delish, too.

This recipe was originally submitted by Kaye, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.