Burani, as made here, is an Albanian side dish that combines sautéed spinach with creamy yogurt, a simple pairing of two everyday ingredients. The warm, garlicky spinach topped with cool, tangy yogurt creates a contrast of temperatures and flavors that is both refreshing and satisfying.
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Burani (Albanian Spinach with Yogurt)
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the spinach thoroughly and shake off excess water. If using large-leaf spinach, roughly chop it.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spinach in batches, stirring as it wilts down. Cook for 5-7 minutes until all the spinach is wilted and any excess liquid has evaporated.
- Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Transfer the spinach to a serving plate and spread it out evenly.
- Spoon the yogurt generously over the warm spinach.
- Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with paprika for color. Serve immediately.
Notes
What is Burani? Spinach with Yogurt
The burani on this page is a side dish of cooked spinach topped with thick, tangy yogurt. In Albania, burani is also widely made with spinach and rice, often finished with eggs and served without yogurt. The name links it to borani, a family of yogurt and vegetable dishes found in Iranian and Turkish cooking.
Burani works as a side dish for weeknight dinners, Sunday lunches, and holiday spreads alike. Its appeal lies in its balance, the earthy richness of wilted spinach meets the cool tanginess of yogurt, creating a combination that complements almost any main course from grilled meats to baked casseroles.
For Albanian-Americans, burani is often one of the easiest traditional dishes to prepare with ingredients readily available at any grocery store. It requires no specialty products, takes about 25 minutes, and delivers an authentic Albanian flavor that pairs with both traditional and modern meals.
Tips for Perfect Burani
Spinach prep: Use fresh spinach for the best flavor. Wash thoroughly, fresh spinach can be very sandy. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the excess liquid has evaporated in the pan. This is crucial, watery spinach makes the dish soupy.
Yogurt choice: Use full-fat plain yogurt for the most authentic result. Greek yogurt works well but may be slightly thicker than traditional Albanian kos (yogurt). Thin with a tablespoon of water if needed.
Garlic: Sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil and butter for about 30 seconds before adding the spinach, this aromatic base is essential to burani’s signature flavor.
Mixing method: There are two schools of thought, some families mix the yogurt directly into the warm spinach, while others serve the spinach on a plate with cold yogurt spooned on top. The recipe card keeps them layered; the choice is personal preference.
Seasoning: Keep it simple, salt, black pepper, and optionally a pinch of red pepper flakes. The dish should taste of spinach, yogurt, and garlic, not a complex spice blend.
Variations
Spinach burani with yogurt: Sautéed spinach with garlic, with yogurt spooned over or stirred in, the version in the recipe card.
Burani me lakra: Made with cooked cabbage or kale instead of spinach, heartier and more wintery.
Burani me patëllxhane: Fried eggplant slices served over yogurt, a richer, more substantial variation.
Burani me kungull: Roasted zucchini or pumpkin with yogurt, a sweet-savory variation.
Warm burani: Some families gently warm the yogurt (without boiling) before combining with the spinach, creating a creamy, warm dish rather than a hot-and-cold contrast.
Two Dishes Called Burani: Yogurt-Topped and Rice-Based
The recipe card on this page is the yogurt-topped style: garlicky sautéed spinach with cool yogurt spooned over it. That is the form best known from Iran and Turkey. Albanian-language recipes for burani me spinaq often look different. Three that we checked, from Shqiptarja.com, AgroWeb and Arti Gatimit, all cook the spinach with a little rice, and none uses yogurt.
The ingredient lists are nearly identical: 1 kg of spinaq (spinach), qepë të njoma (green onions), vaj ulliri (olive oil), a little oriz (rice), kripë and piper (salt and pepper), and nenexhik (mint) or kopër (dill). The onions soften in the oil, the rice and some water go in, the spinach follows, and the pot simmers until the liquid is gone. Eggs (vezë) are the usual finish: Arti Gatimit breaks five or six over the top to set under the lid, and AgroWeb serves each portion with one.
English-language references agree. Wikipedia’s article on borani, citing the proceedings of the 2009 Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery, notes that in southern Albania the word describes a baked egg and spinach dish. Spinach is also the filling in our spinach byrek recipe.
The Wider Borani Family
Wikipedia describes borani as a salad dish from Iranian cuisine that is also found in Turkish cuisine and is popular in the Caucasus and Afghanistan. A legend, not documented history, links the name to the Sasanian queen Pourandokht, who was said to be fond of yogurt dishes. The same article quotes the Turkish scholar Mehmet Zeki Oral, who defined borani in Anatolia as greens that are boiled, drained, sautéed in oil or butter and topped with garlic yogurt. He added that the name also covers vegetables cooked with rice or bulgur and then topped with yogurt, halfway between the two styles above.
| Place | Name | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Iran | Borani-e esfanaj | Cold salad of spinach and yogurt |
| Afghanistan | Sabzi boranee | Spinach and yogurt salad |
| Turkey (Anatolia) | Borani | Boiled, sautéed greens topped with garlic yogurt; also vegetables cooked with rice or bulgur under yogurt |
| Turkey (Urfa) | Urfa borani | Lamb and bulgur kofta with chard and chickpeas |
| Southern Albania | Burani | Baked egg and spinach dish |
| Pindus region of Greece (Aromanians) | Borani | Nettle soup thickened with flour, served at the Tyrnavos carnival |
Buying Spinach and Yogurt in the US
- How much: 500 g of spinach is about 1.1 pounds. That is one 16-ounce tub of baby spinach plus a handful, or two good-sized bunches.
- Baby or bunch: baby spinach is cleaner and wilts in a minute or two. Bunch spinach has more flavor but carries grit near the roots.
- Washing: the FDA advises washing produce thoroughly under running water and does not recommend soap or commercial produce washes. It also says packaged greens labeled pre-washed and ready to eat can be used without further washing.
- Yogurt: 300 g is about 1 1/4 cups. Buy plain, unsweetened, whole-milk yogurt. Our tarator recipe uses the same kind of yogurt.
Two mistakes spoil burani. The first is burnt garlic: the card’s 30 seconds is enough, and the spinach should go in before the garlic browns. The second is wet spinach. Keep cooking until the liquid has evaporated, or the yogurt will thin into a puddle on the plate.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
For the hot and cold contrast the card describes, keep the two parts separate until serving. You can cook the spinach a day ahead, refrigerate it, and rewarm it in a skillet just before serving.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service advises refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C), using them within 3 to 4 days, and reheating them to 165°F (74°C). Spinach already topped with yogurt does not reheat well, because the yogurt separates when hot, so eat those leftovers cold within the same 3 to 4 days. Plain cooked spinach freezes well. The assembled dish does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes, frozen spinach is a convenient substitute. Thaw completely and squeeze out as much water as possible before cooking. You’ll need about 10 oz frozen spinach to replace 1 lb fresh.
Is burani served hot or cold?
In this recipe, the spinach is served warm and the yogurt cold, straight from the refrigerator. The temperature contrast is part of the dish’s appeal. However, many families mix them together warm.
What main dishes pair with burani?
Burani is an excellent side for grilled meats (qofte), baked dishes (tavë kosi), or bean soups (fasule). It also pairs well with crusty bread as a light meal on its own.
What goes into burani?
Burani is made from spinach, plain full-fat yogurt, garlic, olive oil, and a little butter, with paprika and red pepper flakes as optional extras. It is one of many simple vegetable side dishes in Albanian cuisine.
Related Albanian Recipes
Explore more Albanian side dishes and vegetable preparations:
- Tarator, Cold yogurt-cucumber soup
- Bamje, Albanian okra stew
- Speca me Gjizë, Stuffed peppers with cottage cheese
- Fërgesë, Baked peppers and tomatoes with cheese
- What is Albanian Food?, Complete guide to Albanian cuisine
Sources
- Wikipedia: Borani (citing Food and Language: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 2009)
- Shqiptarja.com: Burani me oriz, spinaq dhe qepë të njoma nga zonja Albana
- AgroWeb: Burani e Ngrohtë me Spinaq
- Arti Gatimit: Burani me Spinaq e Vezë
- FDA: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Leftovers and Food Safety
Author: Dardanë Halimi
Dardanë Halimi is a writer and communications professional with an M.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication from James Madison University. Her work focuses on storytelling, digital content, higher education, and strategic communication, with experience writing for academic, nonprofit, and marketing organizations in both the United States and Kosovo.
