Sütlaç
A comforting Turkish dessert built around short-grain rice, whole milk and sugar — roughly 60 minutes start to finish, and rated easy to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and grill / broiler. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Rinse the rice, then simmer it gently in the water with a pinch of salt for about 12 to 15 minutes until the grains are soft and the water is nearly absorbed.
- Pour in the milk, bring to a gentle boil and cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often so the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the sugar and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until it fully dissolves and the pudding thickens slightly.
- Slake the cornstarch in a few tablespoons of cold milk or water, then whisk it into the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more until the pudding coats the back of a spoon, finishing with the vanilla.
- Divide the hot pudding among four heatproof ramekins and let them cool, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until set.
- For the traditional baked top, place the ramekins under a hot grill or torch the surface until lightly caramelised, then dust with ground cinnamon before serving cold.
You'll use: Oven · Grill / broiler · Pan · Saucepan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
What to serve with Sütlaç
- Corba Side
- Kumpir Side
- Turkish rice (vermicelli rice) Miscellaneous
- Imam bayildi with BBQ lamb & tzatziki Lamb
Tips & common questions
How long does Sütlaç take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Sütlaç vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Original recipe — developed in-house by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Sütlaç is an original Turkish recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Turkish sütlaç - 1.jpg by E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.