Vegan Italian Rice Balls
Long before I ever tried this concept, I thought the sound of “rice balls” sounded underwhelming. Then one day I had a bad batch of rice and was stumped as to what to do with it. (I never waste anything!) So my best friend recommend making rice balls! These were more fall inspired being comprised of pumpkin and sage, but the concept never left me because..
It’s so simple, yet so good!
Do I typically fry foods?, no, but when the time is right and the recipe is right, I do!
What I love about this recipe is its simplicity in the ingredients and process, its aesthetic appeal, crispness in the breading, its great for entertaining, fits any season, and the concept of rice balls is almost like a blank canvas that can be packed with whatever cheese/herbs and dipping sauce you’re craving!
If you’re looking to recreate this class dish sans animal products, then I highly recommend trying this recipe for vegan Italian Rice Balls!
Why this recipe is great:
Easy
Minimal ingredients
Crispy
Rice works perf!
Perf for entertaining
Perf for any season
Non vegan approved
This recipe was made using Lotus Foods Jasmine Rice. I always found their products alluring, but as someone who rarely cooks rice I never experienced their products until recently! I once thought the quality of rice was all the same, but I was completely wrong. You can discern the difference in their products and I love the array of products they offer. Everything from rice, noodles, and even rice crackers, I’m obsessed with Lotus Foods!
Check out all of their products here
Read about their story here
Vegan Italian Rice Ball
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 balls 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked Lotus Foods Jasmine rice, cooled
- 1 cup vegan parmesan
- 4 tbsp vegan egg powder combined with 3/4 cup almond milk
- 2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups panko
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced basil (optional)
- Oil, for frying
- 1 cup store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
Instructions
- Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot. Combine the cooked cooled rice, vegan parmesan and 1/3 cup of the vegan egg mixture in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
- Form each arancini “rice ball” by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing shredded mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.
- Dip each arancini into the remains vegan egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs (add the sliced basil), shaking off any excess.
- Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 1 or 2 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining arancini.
- Serve the arancini warm with a side of warm marinara sauce.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Rice Ball
- Cuisine: Appetizer
