Arroz con Leche, which translates as" rice with milk," is a popular dessert throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Rice puddings, made with white rice and milk, come in many variations worldwide, flavored with spices and ingredients.
Arroz con Leche is served as a dessert in the Hispanic culinary canon, typically sweetened with condensed milk or granulated sugar.
This Paraguayan-inspired Arroz con Leche recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla bean, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, and a touch of ground cinnamon.
The flavor resembles Horchata — a Mexican cinnamon and milk drink. So, if you enjoy rice dessert and Horchata or want to try a new way to incorporate rice into a dessert dish, you'll want to try this creamy Arroz con Leche recipe!
How to Make Arroz con Leche
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Rinse the Basmati Rice in cool water until the water runs clear. Drain any excess water.
Combine the milk and evaporated milk in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean to the saucepan. (If you're using pure vanilla extract, wait until the end of cooking to add in). Bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly with a heat-safe spoon to help keep the milk from burning for about 10 minutes.
Add the rice and add the citrus peel if using. Stir and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking.
Mix in condensed milk and cook, constantly stirring, for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and thickens (the mixture should be creamy but still fluid). If the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to barely simmer.
When the Arroz con Leche is done but still loose-textured, stir in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and raisins.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (mixture will thicken more as it cools), then remove cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, and the citrus peel.
Serve immediately or transfer the Arroz con Leche into a heatproof bowl and press a piece of cling film on top of the rice pudding to prevent a film from forming on top as it cools. Then, cool it in the refrigerator for about 1 to 2 hours.
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Arroz Con Leche
Ingredients
- 9 cups whole milk (I used 2% milk, but you can use whole milk to achieve an even creamier consistency if you prefer).
- 1-½ cups Basmati rice
- 4 small cinnamon sticks
- 600 g (1-½ canned) full fat sweetened condensed milk
- (1) 12 oz full fat evaporated milk
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon , for dusting
- 1 fresh vanilla bean , split lengthwise or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla, to taste
- 2 strips of lime peel lemon or orange, optional
- ⅔ cup raisins (For Boozy Raisins see Notes)
Optional toppings:
- A dollop of La Lechera Dulce de Leche
- Garnished with raisins , chopped nuts, or ground cinnamon, shredded coconut, dried fruits, white chocolate shards, or dark Chocolate
Instructions
- Rinse the Basmati Rice in cool water until the water runs clear. Drain any excess water.
- Combine the milk and evaporated milk in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean to the saucepan. (If you're using pure vanilla extract, wait until the end of cooking to add in). Bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly with a heat-safe spoon to help keep the milk from burning for about 10 minutes.
- Add the rice and add the citrus peel if using. Stir and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking. Mix in condensed milk and cook, constantly stirring, for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and thickens (the mixture should be creamy but still fluid). If the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat so it is barely simmering.
- Camila's Tip: If you prefer it more runny, cook for 15 minutes. For a thicker, creamier texture, cook for 25 minutes.
- When the Arroz con Leche is done but still loose-textured, stir in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and raisins. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (mixture will thicken more as it cools), then remove cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, and the citrus peel. Serve immediately or transfer the Arroz con Leche into a heatproof bowl and press a piece of cling film on top of the rice pudding to prevent a film from forming on top as it cools. Then, place it in the refrigerator to cool for about 1 to 2 hours.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
