These Italian Rice Cakes are a super yummy way to use leftover rice from the night before if you have it – but it’s worth cooking up a fresh batch of rice to make too! The seasoning is subtle so that the rice can be the star of the show. They taste amazing with any toppings you might associate with risotto: asparagus, shrimp and fresh tomato; bacon and grilled brussel sprouts; or argula, pancetta and shaved parmesan. Essentially, the choices are limited only by your imagination! On this occasion, I served them with caramelized mushrooms, onion and garlic. Delish!
Here’s The Recipe:
- 2 cups cooked white rice, chilled
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Prepare rice to yield about 2 cups cooked (roughly ⅔ cup dry rice) per package instructions.
- Once rice has cooked, refrigerate until completely cooled.
- In a medium bowl, mix together egg, butter, flour, and parmesan to form thick batter.
- Season mixture with salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper and garlic powder and stir until completely incorporated.
- Add 2 cups of cooked rice to the mixture and stir until well combined.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat, once oil is hot turn heat down to medium.
- Form patties with the rice mixture that are approximately 3" in diameter and about ½" thick.
- Place patties in the frying pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes until underside is golden brown.
- Flip patties and cook opposite side until golden brown - another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove to a rack or paper towel to drain excess oil.
For me, I like to stick to the 3″ diameter sized cakes and have them as a side or base to some veggies and a protein. However, you could also make them medallion sized with various toppings and serve them as hors d’oeuvres.
Servings: 5
Calories Per Serving: 208