Turkish Vegan Rice Pudding Recipe (Sutlaç)

Rice pudding. If you grew up in the UK, this might remind you of school dinners – warm and often with a skin on top that you were expected to force down. But rice pudding actually has an exciting origin and, when done right, this dish is rich, indulgent and has a delicious flavour.

Rice pudding (or Sutlaç) originated in both Mexico and Turkey but today we’re going to give you our recipe for the Turkish version. Turkish cuisine is full of milk-based desserts and rice pudding is the jewel in the crown. It is traditionally served in a small clay cup that’s glazed on the inside, and the dish is twice cooked (on the hob and then in the oven) for the ultimate creamy texture.

In order to make this suitable for a plant based or lactose-free diet, we don’t use cow’s milk in our recipe. Instead we are going to use coconut milk for this rich and creamy dessert. 

Vegan Rice Pudding Ingredients

• 1/2 cup short grain rice
• 6 1/3 cups coconut milk divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch

Method

1. Place the rice and 2 cups of coconut milk in a large pot. Cook over a medium heat until the rice is fully cooked.
2. Add 4 cups of coconut milk to the cooked rice and bring it to a simmer.
3. Add in vanilla extract and sugar and stir well.
4. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and the remaining 1/3 cup of coconut milk to make a slurry. Add it to the rice and milk, and simmer over a medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes until it thickens.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F and place 4 oven-safe ramekins in a 9×13 baking pan.
6. Divide the rice pudding between the ramekins. Fill the baking pan halfway with water. This will prevent the rice pudding from drying.
7. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the tops are brown. Check constantly to make sure they’re brown enough for your liking.
8. Once the rice pudding is ready, cool it at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Love desserts? Then if you're travelling to Camden some day, you have to try out these best vegan desserts in Candem!