Lizzy Loves Food

  • Home
  • Recipes Index
  • Cuisines
  • Travel
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cuisines
  • Travel
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cuisines
  • Travel
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
×
  • ice cream on a plate
    Ice Cream Recipes for the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker
  • Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream from Rhode Island
  • Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies: American Classic
  • Where Locals Eat: New Port Richy FL
  • Peach Mango Pie a Filipino Flavor
  • Nutella Ice Cream a French Favorite
  • Raw Carrot Salad with Tangy Dressing
  • Dubai Ice Cream with Pistachio and Chocolate
  • Cucumber for Sushi on a plate
    Cucumber for Sushi called Naruto Roll
  • Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup
  • Amaretto Coffee A Taste of Italy
  • Roasting Beef Bones for Broth
Home » Cuisine » Portugal » Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

Published: Apr 2, 2020 · Modified: Jan 27, 2025 by Lizzy · This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe

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.

Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe
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.

Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe 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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by COOK + EAT + TRAVEL (@lizzylovesfoods)

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 peel the size of your thumb
  • Water, use Spring water or a filter, the tap will affect the taste
  • 3 cups milk, Whole Milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla, Madagascar Vanilla Beans 
  • ⅔ cup sugar, Florida Crystals Organic Cane Sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

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.

Step-Step 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.

Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

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,

Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe

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

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.
4.26 from 31 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lemon, peel size of your thumb
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon 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.
    boiling water
  • 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

You can connect with us on Instagram and Facebook account or on Pinterest. Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter & stay up to date with our latest Recipes & Travel

Sharing is Caring!

21.6K shares
  • Share
  • X
  • Email

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?”

Comments

  1. Erika says

    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 says

      August 10, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      Oh I'm so sorry! 1 tsp of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Amy says

    September 14, 2022 at 2:50 pm

    Are we talking about long grain or short grain rice??

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      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
  3. Lisa Ann says

    July 12, 2023 at 11:21 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this last night and it was delicious, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      July 14, 2023 at 5:17 pm

      So glad you loved it. xoxo Lizzy

      Reply
  4. Maria says

    July 12, 2023 at 11:22 pm

    5 stars
    I wonder if you can put raisins in while the rice is cooking?

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      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
  5. Liza says

    July 20, 2023 at 3:17 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe, thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      July 20, 2023 at 3:20 pm

      Thank you hope you enjoy, xoxo Lizzy

      Reply
  6. Cheryl says

    July 20, 2023 at 3:18 pm

    5 stars
    What a wonderful dish from Mom

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      July 20, 2023 at 3:20 pm

      Thank you hope you enjoy, xoxo Lizzy

      Reply
  7. Maria says

    July 20, 2023 at 3:19 pm

    5 stars
    I can't wait to make this on the weekend.

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      July 20, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      Thank you hope you enjoy, xoxo Lizzy

      Reply
  8. Lizzy says

    July 20, 2023 at 3:21 pm

    5 stars
    did your mom live in Portugal?

    Reply
  9. Sue Dalton says

    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 says

      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
  10. Pam Souza says

    June 27, 2024 at 11:06 pm

    5 stars
    This was the best rice pudding I have made thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Lizzy says

      June 28, 2024 at 3:13 pm

      thanks so much, xoxo Lizzy

      Reply
4.26 from 31 votes (24 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




HI! I'm Lizzy

Pencil drawing of Don Quixote

I was born in Reims, France to Portuguese parents. Being exposed to different cultures growing up has given me a passion for exploring new places and foods to cook! So follow me to the kitchen to enjoy a journey full of flavors. > Read More

Moving to Florida

Looking to Rent a Winter Home
or Buy a Home?
Call Jeffrey Thomas
727-337-6230 or visit newconstructionforsale.com

Recent Posts

  • Apple Tea Cake From Britain
  • Sunday Breakfast Brunch in America 
  • Happy New Year Family and Friends
  • Italian Christmas Themed Party Favors

Donate Animal Adoption

Popular

  • soup
    7 Day Detox Cabbage Soup
  • grits
    Places to Eat in Charleston SC
  • Air Fryer Corn Ribs on plate
    Air Fryer Corn Ribs from New York
  • rice custard
    Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe
  • My 30 Days on Intermittent Fasting Results
  • My 30 Day Diet with No Carbs
  • fois gras
    What is Foie Gras a Classic French Appetizer
  • fish cakes
    Portuguese Fish Cakes are Bolinhos de Bacalhau

Food Map of Recipes

Find your favorite recipe destination on the map to cook an authentic meal from the region. Find a destination recipe →

Recipes by Diet

  • Low-Carb
  • Gluten Free
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

Footer

↑ back to top

LIZZY LOVES FOODS IS A PARTICIPANT IN AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN FEES BY LINKING TO AFFILIATED SITES.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Mail

ABOUT

Meet Lizzy
Health
Portfolio
Web-Stories

RECIPES

Diet
Course
Experiences
Menopause

CUISINE

Recipes by Country
American Recipes
Where Locals Eat
Food Map

RESOURCES

Contact Lizzy
Resources
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions


Copyright © 2016-2025 Lizzy Loves Food

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy