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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Finnish Carrot Casserole (Porkkanalaatikko)

    Published: Dec 10, 2020 · Modified: Mar 18, 2023 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Experience a piece of Northern Europe in your home this Christmas with Finnish Carrot Casserole (Porkkanalaatikko). A traditional side dish from Finland that is a staple in every Christmas table.  Rice, milk, and carrots — a perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and comfort in every serving!

    An overhead image of Finnish Carrot Casserole, ready for serving on the Christmas table.

    I got two Finnish casseroles now on the blog – Cabbage Casserole, and this, Carrot Casserole (locally known as ‘porkkanalaatikko’).

    No need to tell you that the Finns love their casseroles. 🙂

    Porkkanalaatikko though, is slightly more special because it is a traditional Christmas side dish, often served with baked ham.

    This carrot casserole has creamy rice, with a hint of sweetness coming from the carrots and the syrup — just perfect for the holidays.  

    IF YOU WANT MORE CLASSIC FINNISH RECIPES, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

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    Ingredients

    An image showing all the ingredients you need to prepare Finnish Carrot Casserole.
    • Breadcrumbs – or panko, if that’s what you have; you only use this for the crunch on top of porkkanalaatikko.
    • Carrots – you need to peel and grate them coarsely for this carrot casserole recipe.
    • Butter – unsalted.
    • Rice – short grain or medium grains are the best kind to use because they are creamier.  For this porkkanalaatikko recipe, I use arborio rice, the same type usually used for risotto.
    • Ginger – fresh, grated ginger is always recommended for carrot casserole; but if you’re having a hard time finding it, powdered ginger is a good substitute
    • Syrup – light syrup is preferable, but if you’re using a dark one, keep in mind that it will affect the color of your porkkanalaatikko.
    • Egg – one medium-sized egg (63 to 73 grams).
    • Milk – full cream milk, if possible.
    • Salt and pepper – just use your favorite brand to season your carrot casserole.
    • Nutmeg – optional; that’s why I did not include it in the image above.  If you love nutmeg, though, feel free to add it to your porkkanalaatikko.
    A closer shot of the inside of a creamy carrot casserole, highlighting the mix of rice and carrots in the casserole.

    Preparation

    Start making your Finnish carrot casserole by combining rice, half a cup of milk, and half a cup of water in a medium saucepan.

    Cooking rice as base for Finnish carrot casserole.

    Set heat to medium-high, cover pan with a lid, and bring to a boil.

    Add the remaining milk.

    Adding milk to cooked rice for Finnish carrot casserole.

    Put the lid back on and simmer until the rice has softened (about twenty-five minutes), stirring occasionally.

    Take the rice off the heat and set aside to cool.

    Using a large mixing bowl, combine and mix cooled rice with milk, syrup, salt and pepper, and ginger.  

    Adding grated ginger to milk for Finnish carrot casserole.

    Add grated carrots and egg and mix to combine evenly.

    Combining eggs with grated carrots for Finnish carrot casserole.

    Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

    Transfer carrot and rice mixture into an ovenproof dish.

    Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

    Topping carrot casserole with breadcrumbs before baking.

    Add bits of butter on top and use a spoon to create dents on top of the carrot casserole.

    Last step of preparing Finnish carrot casserole before baking.

    Place the dish in the oven for fifty to fifty-five minutes, or until the top has turned deeper in color.

    Set your porkkanalaatikko aside for about ten minutes, then serve.

    An overhead shot of a serving of baked carrot casserole, served with a glass of mulled wine.

    Helpful tips

    • Do not forget to stir the rice and milk occasionally while simmering.  It helps in checking that nothing sticks at the bottom of the pan.
    • Make sure the rice and milk have cooled down before mixing with the rest of the porkkanalaatikko ingredients.
    • Do not fill the ovenproof dish to the rim. Instead, leave some space on the top because the porkkanalaatikko will ‘puff up’ once cooked. 
    A closer shot of a slice of carrot casserole, with the baking dish in the background and a glass of mulled wine.

    FAQs

    What can I substitute for syrup?

    You can use honey or molasses to make porkkanalaatikko.  I even know some friends who prefer to use brown sugar. 

    When you are using sugar, you have to make sure that it has dissolved.  The best way to do this is to mix it with the milk and rice; then, add them with the carrots. 

    Can I precook the carrots for porkkanalaatikko?

    Some people do.  

    They boil the carrots first, then mash them before mixing them with the rice and milk.  You can try doing it this way if you prefer.

    I prefer to grate them finely to keep some texture in the carrots. I’ve never had problems with them being raw when I prepare them this way.

    So, what are you waiting for?  Give porkkanalaatikko a try, and let me know what you think! 🙂

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    Latest (Mar23) feature image for Finnish Carrot Casserole.

    Porkkanalaatikko Recipe (Finnish Carrot Casserole)

    A traditional Christmas dish from Finland, this creamy Carrot Casserole (Porkkanalaatikko) is an excellent side dish for grilled or roasted meat. Or if you want to do it like the locals, serve it with baked ham. Yum!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Finnish
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 178kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Medium-Sized Saucepan
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Baking Dish (3.15 qt.)
    • Rubber Spatula
    • Grater

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup short-grain or medium-grain rice
    • 1 & 1/2 cups milk
    • 1/2 kg carrots (about 1 lb), peeled and finely grated
    • 2 tbsp light syrup
    • 1/2 tsp ginger, fresh and grated
    • 1 large egg
    • 6 tbsp breadcrumbs
    • 2 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
    • salt and ground white pepper, to season

    Instructions

    Preparing rice:

    • Using a medium-sized saucepan, combine rice with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of milk.  
    • Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
    • Add the remaining 1 cup of milk, cover, and simmer until the rice turns soft (stir occasionally).  It normally takes about 25 minutes.
    • Take the rice off the heat and set aside to cool.

    Assembling porkkanalaatikko:

    • Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
    • Using a large mixing bowl, combine rice with milk, syrup, salt and pepper, and ginger.  Mix.
    • Add carrots and beaten egg.  Mix evenly.
    • Transfer casserole mixture into an ovenproof baking dish, leaving some room on top.
    • Sprinkle top with breadcrumbs.
    • Add butter and use a spoon to make indentations (or decorations) on top of porkkanalaatikko.

    Baking creamy carrot casserole:

    • Place the dish in the middle of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top turned darker in color.
    • Take the carrot casserole out of the oven and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
    • Serve and enjoy your porkkanalaatikko!

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  Short-grain or medium-grained rice is the best type to use for this Finnish carrot casserole recipe — I generally use arborio rice when I make porkkanalaatikko at home.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Do not forget to mix the rice occasionally when you’re simmering it with the milk. It helps the rice from sticking at the bottom of the pan.
    • Cook’s Tip #3:  Make sure the rice and milk mixture is completely cooled before adding the rest of the porkkanalaatikko ingredients.
    • Variation #1:  You can use powdered ginger if you don’t have fresh ones.
    • Variation #2:  If you don’t have light syrup, you can use molasses, honey, dark syrup, or brown sugar as alternatives.  However, if you are using brown sugar, you have to mix them with the milk mixture to ensure they had dissolved when you add the carrots.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 10637IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. BobbieC

      October 31, 2022 at 10:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is delicious, a little bit crunchy, not sweet, but savory. I suppose, if you wanted to, you could add some spices to it to jazz it up, maybe some cumin, paprika. As it is, it’s great, would be a great accompaniment to any main dish. Most time was spent in grating the carrots, and then simmering the rice and milk. Rice took about 15 minutes, not 25 minutes.

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