Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe (2024)

Published: Apr 2, 2020 Modified: Sep 27, 2023 by Lizzy

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Making a traditional Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe from my Portuguese mother's recipe box. Arroz Doce as we say in Portugal, is a family tradition for every holiday season.

While my mom was here she decided to make my favorite Portuguese dessert. Which is never a disappointment and brings back many childhood memories. You see it is a very common dessert to bring to people's homes and celebrate any special occasion.

I love the creamy taste of the Rice Custard and when visiting Portugal, you will commonly see it on the menu or pick it up ready to go from the grocery store. Another thing that this dessert has is a little cinnamon on top.

I am not a fan of cinnamon so I left it out. It is very easy to make and I usually have all the ingredients at home so if I ever have to just whip it up for a craving or a get-together, I’m always prepared to make this Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe.

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Contents hide

1 List of Ingredients

2 Step by Step - Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

3 Variations

4 Ways to Serve

5 Tip

6 MORE RECIPES from Portugal

7 TRAVEL GUIDE to Portugal

8 Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

List of Ingredients

These are the brands that I prefer in my cooking, in my list on Amazon to check out.

Rice, Dynasty Jasmine Rice 2 lbs Bag
Salt, Sherpa Pink Himalayan Salt
Lemon, fresh peelthe size of your thumb
Water, use Spring water or a filter, the tap will affect the taste
3cupsmilk, Whole Milk
1tspvanilla, Madagascar Vanilla Beans
⅔cupsugar, Florida Crystals Organic Cane Sugar
2egg yolks

Step by Step - Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

I always pick my bowls in advance and set them on the table so when I'm done with everything I just pour them right into the bowls or into a glass pie dish.

1. Add the water, salt, a wedge of lemon, a stick of cinnamon, and rice into a pot to start cooking the rice slowly for about 15 minutes.
2. Add the milk slowly as the rice cooks and stir.

3. Once the rice starts to cook add the sugar and mix, in a separate bowl mix the egg yolk, vanilla, and milk and stir.
4. Turn your heat down and add the mixture to the rice in the pot while mixing steadily and fast so as not to cook the egg yolk and have a custard base.
5. Pour the rice into a pie dish or bowl and let the rice cool. About 4 hours.
6. Top with fruit or cinnamon.

Variations

You can always add a little anise to the rice once it's done cooking with raisins for a little extra in the Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe. Also, a little sprinkle of cinnamon is traditional before serving.

Ways to Serve

I like to serve it with fresh fruit on the side such as mangos, strawberries or even green grapes. I tend to spoon it into a bowl and serve it with fruit on top.

Tip

When cooking the rice, I tend to watch it cook so not to overcook it. I also rinse my rice under cold water, it helps it to cook it better and holds the shape of the grain,

MORE RECIPES from Portugal

Mom's Paella
Christmas Popovers
Portuguese Cod Fish Salad

TRAVEL GUIDE to Portugal

Lisbon Portugal
Cascais Portugal
Sintra Portugal
Where Locals Eat in Lisbon Portugal

Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

Lizzy Cascalheira

Recipe from Portugal! Making a traditional, gluten-free Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe for dessert is so easy. It's quick and easy to make and a must in my family for Easter Sunday.

4.24 from 30 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Portuguese

Servings 14

Calories 125 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup rice Jasmine Rice
1 tsp salt
1 lemon, peel size of your thumb
4 cups water
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
⅔ cup sugar
2 egg yolks

Instructions

Cooking Rice

Add the 4 cups of water, salt, a wedge of lemon, with a stick of cinnamon into the pot along with the rice.
Add rice and let it start cooking the rice for about 15 minutes.
Add the 2 cup of room temperature milk slowly as the rice cooks and stir quickly.
Once the rice starts to cook add the sugar and mix everything together.
Turn heat down to medium and stir as it cooks. About 20 minutes until you see this creamy looking rice.

Custard Mix

In a separate bowl mix the egg yolk, vanilla and 1 cup of milk and stir.
Turn your heat down and add the mixture to the rice in the pot while mixing steadily and fast so not to cook the egg yolk and have a lumpy custard base.
Pour the rice into a pie dish and let the rice cool. About 4 hours
Top with fruit or cinnamon

Notes

When cooking the rice, I tend to watch it cook so not to over cook and burn at the bottom
I also rinse my rice under cold water, it helps not become too starchy.
Cinnamon is the most common top for in Portugal but I am not a fan so I like fruit of raisins on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 770gCalories: 125kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 360mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 122IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

★ Like this post? ★ Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below! ★ Let us know in the comments below or on social media using #LizzyLovesFoods and tag us @LizzyLovesFoods

About Lizzy

I love to cook, eat and find good places to have a great meal so no matter where I go I always ask the locals the same question, “Where’s a good place to eat?”

Reader Interactions

Comments

Erika
August 09, 2021 at 2:40 am
Hi Lizzy! In the middle of making this and it mentions vanilla, but vanilla isn’t mentioned in the ingredient list. How much vanilla?
Reply
- Lizzy
  August 10, 2021 at 7:02 pm
  Oh I'm so sorry! 1 tsp of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean. Hope you enjoy!
  Reply
Amy
September 14, 2022 at 2:50 pm
Are we talking about long grain or short grain rice??
Reply
- Lizzy
  September 14, 2022 at 3:10 pm
  Hi Amy - I use Jasmine Rice and I prefer the brand Dynasty Jasmine Rice. Let me know how it turns out. Oxox Lizzy
  Reply
Lisa Ann
July 12, 2023 at 11:21 pm

Tried this last night and it was delicious, thanks for sharing!
Reply
- Lizzy
  July 14, 2023 at 5:17 pm
  So glad you loved it. xoxo Lizzy
  Reply
Maria
July 12, 2023 at 11:22 pm

I wonder if you can put raisins in while the rice is cooking?
Reply
- Lizzy
  July 14, 2023 at 5:17 pm
  I have made it with raisins and put them closer to the end of cooking time. xoxo Lizzy
  Reply
Liza
July 20, 2023 at 3:17 pm

I love this recipe, thank you for sharing
Reply
- Lizzy
  July 20, 2023 at 3:20 pm
  Thank you hope you enjoy, xoxo Lizzy
  Reply
Cheryl
July 20, 2023 at 3:18 pm

What a wonderful dish from Mom
Reply
- Lizzy
  July 20, 2023 at 3:20 pm
  Thank you hope you enjoy, xoxo Lizzy
  Reply
Maria
July 20, 2023 at 3:19 pm

I can't wait to make this on the weekend.
Reply
- Lizzy
  July 20, 2023 at 3:19 pm
  Thank you hope you enjoy, xoxo Lizzy
  Reply
Lizzy
July 20, 2023 at 3:21 pm

did your mom live in Portugal?
Reply
Sue Dalton
September 22, 2023 at 9:05 pm
Is it 2 or 3 cups of milk? You have 3 as a listed ingredient, but it says 2 in the making the recipe section. Thank you, I cant wait to try this!
Reply
- Lizzy
  September 27, 2023 at 10:24 pm
  In a separate bowl mix the egg yolk, vanilla and 1 cup of milk and stir, then it is mixed together. That way the egg does not cook in the rice mix but gradually is introduced. So it's 3 cups total but 2 for the rice first. Hope that helps, xoxo Lizzy
  Reply

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