Lebanese Rice Pudding- Riz Bi Haleeb

Lebanese Rice Pudding – Creamy, sweet and so, so easy to make. This Middle Eastern Rice Pudding recipe also known as Riz Bi Haleeb is classic and comforting. Made in one pot with just a few ingredients… cooked until thick, then served warm or chilled. This Lebanese Rice Pudding will be a go-to dessert recipe for years to come.

Lebanese Rice Pudding- Riz Bi Haleeb

This Lebanese Rice Pudding also known as Riz bi Haleeb is a rich and creamy, easy to prepare dessert that young and old alike will love! It is such a nostalgic treat.

Ahhhh, anytime I eat it now, it instantly takes me back to my childhood….to my grandma’s kitchen….to happy, comforting memories.  She made this for us all the time!

What is Lebanese Rice Pudding?

This Arabic rice pudding, also known as Riz bi Haleeb in Arabic, which translates to Rice in Milk. It is a dish common in Middle Eastern cuisine made with white rice, milk, sugar, a dash of rose water for extra flavor and a thickener such as corn starch to make it richer. If you love my Mahalabia- Lebanese Milk Pudding,  you’ll love its cousin, rice pudding – similar, but unique in their own ways.

What you’ll Need to Make Lebanese Riz B Haleeb:

Here are the five main ingredients that you need for rice pudding: *Be sure to see the printable recipe card below for measurements & directions!

Rice: You can use any uncooked short-grain white rice here. Jasmine is my go to when making this Lebanese pudding.

Milk: Any kind of milk will work, although the higher the fat percentage, the creamier the results.

Sugar: 1/2 a cup.

Cornstarch: Works as a thickener, thinned with some milk before adding it to the pudding.

Water: To help half cook the rice.

Rose water: This gives it a great background flavor.

How to Make this Riz Bi Haleeb Recipe:

Cooking rice pudding is as easy as putting all the ingredients into a saucepan and simmering until the rice is very tender and the mixture thickens up. Remember to stir it occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t scorch. 

• In a medium sized pot, cook the unwashed rice with one cup of water over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until all the water is gone.

• Add the milk (reserve 1/4 cup on the side) and sugar to the pot and mix well with the rice.
• Bring mixture to a boil, whisking continuously to avoid mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Lower heat to low and cook for additional 10 minutes, until rice is cooked through. stirring occasionally.
• Add the cornstarch to the ¼ cup of reserved milk and mix to combine. Pour it over the rice and milk mixture, and cook until it thickens, for about 5 more minutes.
• Remove from heat, stir in rose water.
• Transfer mixture to serving bowls immediately.
• Garnish with crushed pistachios. Let it cool at room temperature before serving and enjoy!

Be sure to cook this Lebanese rice pudding long enough…undercooking the pudding will cause it to be soupy… still tasty but not thick like pudding. A good way to check if it’s cooked long enough is to run your finger along the back of your mixing spoon to see if you can draw a line that doesn’t seep back together….if the line remains, you have pudding!

Can I Make Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice?

The short answer: sure, you can make it with cooked rice. Long answer: it’s just not the same. Rice should be uncooked. The ideal taste and texture of rice pudding comes from constantly stirring raw rice as it cooks, which releases the starch. That’s what thickens the milk mixture and makes it so wonderfully creamy.

How long is rice pudding good for? 

You can store your stovetop rice pudding in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I recommend placing some plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding, to avoid a skin forming.

Can you freeze rice pudding?

It can also be frozen in an airtight container up to 3 months, but I don’t recommend it. Once thawed, the pudding separates and becomes grainy and not very creamy. It’s best eaten fresh or chilled and/or reheated.

I hope you try this Lebanese Rice Pudding-Riz bi Haleeb recipe. It is a great dessert to make year round with pantry staples!