Italian Easter Rice Pie (Pastiera di Riso)
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Traditionally served in Italy during the Easter holiday, this fragrant Italian Easter Rice Pie (Pastiera di Riso) is sensational. The sweet pie is filled with creamy rice, ricotta, orange and lemon zest, and cinnamon. It is rustic and simply delicious!
Enjoy a full Easter dinner before indulging in this dessert! Try my Standing Rib Roast or Roasted Leg of Lamb.
Quick Look: Italian Easter Rice Pie (Pastiera di Riso)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Servings: 12 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made Gluten-free
- Method: Oven baked
- Technique: Cook rice with milk and citrus, then mix with ricotta, eggs, sugar, and zest; pour into a prepared crust and bake until golden and set.
- Flavor & Texture: Sweet, creamy, and aromatic with custardy rice filling and a tender, golden crust.
Why This Traditional Easter Pie Steals the Show
You will love our family recipe for Rice Ricotta Easter Pie. Enjoy during Easter time or any special occasion. In Italy, the Monday after Easter is called Pasquetta, Little Easter, and is almost as big as Easter Sunday. It is a day for Italians to relax and enjoy the day with family. A beautiful pastiera di riso is often brought to family and friends on Monday morning or for lunch.
Try my Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua) next!
Made With Amoré,
“This pastiera di riso was so delicious and easy to make. It was the perfect Easter dessert and the flavours are so fresh and light! It was a hit, even the kiddies loved it!”
– Nadia
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This classic Italian Easter pie comes together with a handful of key ingredients that create its sweet, creamy, and aromatic filling.
- Rice (Arborio or medium-grain): The base of the custardy filling; cooks creamy and holds its texture.
- Whole Milk: Used to cook the rice, giving the filling a rich, creamy consistency.
- Ricotta Cheese: Drained and smooth, it creates the creamy, tender texture in the filling.
- Short Pastry Crust: You can find the full recipe on my page for Italian Crostata!
- Citrus Zest (Lemon & Orange): Adds bright, aromatic flavor that defines the classic Easter pie.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- No Crust: You can make this recipe without the short pastry crust. Bake the creamy filling in a greased springform pan. This is a great time-saving option.
- Orange Flower Water: Add a teaspoon to the rice during the last few minutes of cooking for extra flavor. If you love orange, try my Orange Olive Oil Cake.
How to Make Italian Easter Rice Pie (Pastiera di Riso)
This Italian Easter Rice Pie (Pastiera di Riso) is a sweet, creamy, and aromatic holiday classic that will wow your family and friends with every bite. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- First, combine milk and rice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salt, orange, and lemon peel and stir. Once the milk begins to simmer, reduce heat to low, cover slightly, and occasionally stir until the milk is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Stir constantly in the last 10 minutes to prevent the milk from scorching and the rice from sticking. The rice should be cooked but still firm since it continues to cook in the oven. Remove the peels and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with saran wrap, and set aside to cool.
- Then, preheat the oven to 350℉—position the rack to the lower third of the oven. In a mixing bowl (or using a stand mixer), with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until well combined, about 5 minutes. You can also use a handheld mixer. Add the sugar. Beat for an additional 2 minutes until pale yellow and thick.
- Add ricotta, cinnamon, lemon, and orange zest.
- Whisk until well incorporated (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the rice mixture in 3-4 additions with a wooden spoon or spatula, breaking up any clumps of rice.
- Mix gently until all combined.
- Make the pasta frolla dough according to the recipe (can be found in my Italian Crostata Recipe post) and divide it. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, then roll out the bottom crust and place it in a buttered and floured 9½-inch springform or deep pie pan. Add the filling to the unbaked pastry shell.
- Bake the pastiera for 60 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool and come to room temperature before slicing and serving. Top with powdered sugar if desired.
Italian Easter Rice Pie (Pastiera di Riso) FAQs
Easter pie (pastiera) is found all over Italy, but its origins are Neapolitan (from Naples). Tender pasta frolla pastry pie filled with fresh ricotta cheese and rice, sweetened with sugar, and scented with lemon and orange. Like many Italian desserts, it is simple and not too sweet. The rice settles to the bottom, leaving a custard-like layer on top.
To make pastiera di riso in advance, bring it to room temperature, cover it well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bring it to room temperature by taking it out of the refrigerator one hour or two before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. You can also make your shortcrust pastry dough ahead of time. This saves time and splits up the baking process. Make the rice ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Store the Italian Rice Pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Italian Easter rice pie as the centerpiece of your holiday table, either on its own or alongside other festive treats. But first, enjoy an Easter feast, featuring mains like Roasted Turkey or Lemon Chicken, and sides like my Brussels Sprouts Salad and Roasted Carrots. If you’re looking to expand your dessert menu, try my Ricotta Cheesecake or Italian Cream Cake.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs, milk, and ricotta cheese. Take out up to one hour before baking.
- Make your shortcrust pastry dough ahead of time (if using a crust). This saves time and splits up the baking process. You can also make the rice ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Drain the ricotta of excess water. If the batter is too wet, it will take forever for the cake to set while baking.
- Let it rest and cool before cutting! This is like cheesecake. You want it to be set before cutting. It is worth the wait!
- Cook the rice in the milk until it is soft and has absorbed all the liquid. If the rice is too undercooked, the filling will be hard, and if it is overcooked, it will be too mushy.
More Easter Dessert Recipes
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Italian Easter Rice Pie
Ingredients
1 recipe for Pasta Frolla Pastry Dough (optional- you can make without crust)
Rice
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup arborio rice or medium grain white rice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 strips lemon peel, in large pieces; do not get the white part of the peel
- 2 strips orange peel, in large pieces; do not get the white part of the peel
Filling
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, drained
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon
- Prepared cooked rice, above
Instructions
Pasta Frolla Pastry Dough
- Make the pasta frolla dough according to the recipe. Divide the dough. If making a lattice top crust, ensure one dough ball is bigger for the bottom crust—place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Butter and flour or spray with cooking spray a 9 1/2-inch springform pan or deep pie dish. After the dough has chilled, roll it into a circle about 12 inches wide and transfer it to the prepared baking pan- trim edges if needed. Return dough to the fridge until ready to use.
- To top the pie with a lattice, roll out the crust using plenty of flour on both sides and the rolling pin and cut it into strips—place strips on a baking sheet or dish, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until ready to use.
- Note: After the dough is in the baking dish, you can freeze it with the crust for an hour or so or place it in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight. This helps prevent the dough from shrinking while baking.
Rice
- Combine milk and rice in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add salt, orange, and lemon peel. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Once the milk begins to simmer, reduce heat to low, cover slightly, and occasionally stir until the milk is absorbed about 15-20 minutes. Stir constantly in the last 10 minutes to prevent the milk from scorching and the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The rice should be cooked but still firm (al dente) since it continues to cook in the oven.
- Remove lemon peel and orange peel and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with saran wrap, and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉—position the rack to the lower third of the oven.
Filling
- In a large mixing bowl (or using a stand mixer), with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until well combined, about 5 minutes. You can also use a handheld mixer.
- Add the sugar. Beat for an additional 2 minutes until pale yellow and thick.
- Add ricotta, cinnamon, lemon, and orange zest. Whisk until well incorporated (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the rice mixture in 3-4 additions with a wooden spoon or spatula, breaking up any clumps of rice. Mix gently until all combined.
- Add filling to the unbaked pastry shell in the prepared baking dish or pie dish.
- Bake the pastiera for 60 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool and come to room temperature before slicing and serving. Top with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs, milk, and ricotta cheese. Take out up to one hour before baking.
- Make your shortcrust pastry dough ahead of time (if using a crust). This saves time and splits up the baking process. You can also make the rice ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Drain the ricotta of excess water. If the batter is too wet, it will take forever for the cake to set while baking.
- Let it rest and cool before cutting! This is like cheesecake. You want it to be set before cutting. It is worth the wait!
- Cook the rice in the milk until it is soft and has absorbed all the liquid. If the rice is too undercooked, the filling will be hard, and if it is overcooked, it will be too mushy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I made this after years of not having one in our Easter table. But why was it dry? What did I do wrong…. Also my mom if I can recall used to use a lot more eggs. Is there another variation of this?
Hi Angela, I haven’t heard any feedback that it is dry. I wonder if maybe the rice was overcooked? Maybe the pie itself was in the oven too long? It is worth trying again to see! Enjoy!
This recipe was delicious and easy to follow. I actually got my hands on a jar of grano cotto and Elena was kind enough to respond with how to alter the recipe using these ingredients.
I did one teaspoon each of lemons and orange zests for a milder flavour to appease my kids and it was a huge hit with my family!
Thank you Elena!
Happy you loved the recipe with the grano cotto!
How long do you bake if you are not using a crust?
About the same time.
love this recipe!!
I made it without the crust and added a splash of Strega just like my mumma used to do 👌
I love your addition of the Strega. Yummm!!
2nd time made and it was perfect. superb recipe and even better instructions. Adding orange water is a great tip….it’s the small details here that make this site the best.
Thank you so much, Raphael, I try to pay attention to detail and think of all the variations and questions that anyone making the recipe might have. I appreciate you!
Hi Elena!! I just made it and the smell is amazing!!! Just a quick question my pasta frolla was hard to handle it was cracking and broke apart I’m not sure what I did wrong..I followed the recipe exact…this keeps happening to me when using this type of dough…please help…can’t wait to eat it!!!! Thank yoh
Hi Rosie! Do you weigh your flour? I find that it makes a big difference. Also, flour brands and hydration differ widely. Go by feel. Adding a tablespoon of ice water is okay to make the consistency a little easier and more solid. The dough is a little crumbly, but it should not completely fall apart. I hope that helps!
Thank you!!! Yes I did weigh it..I’m wondering if my scale might be off..I’ll try the ice water great idea..I used king arthur flour.
Sounds great! I hope it turns out amazing for. you.
Hi Rosie I was having trouble with crust breaking also. Then I took 2 pieces of wax paper and put the dough in between. It rolled out great. I took the top piece off put my pie dish on top and flipped it over. I did have a few small cracks but it was east to fix. Hope this helps.
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
For best results, it is best fresh. You can make the dough and rice ahead of time then bake a couple of days before you need it– stored in the fridge and well covered with plastic wrap.
Perfect amount of sweetness and amazing texture. Love the cinnamon, vanilla, orange, and lemon undertones. A delicious recipe!
The best pastiera di riso you will ever taste!!
This is the absolute Best Italian recipes for anyone looking for Authentic Italian cuisine and deliciously amazing desserts!!! 👏 😋
Thank you! It is a delicious recipe with many memories attached.