Hello, my darlings! Today, I am sharing some incredible crispy Risotto Cakes with you. I'm one of those people that really doesn't mind leftovers, but I do find it more fun when said leftovers can be reimagined into a whole new dish. Leftover risotto is formed into patties, coated with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and fried to crispy, crunchy perfection. Are you drooling yet? 😉 These are really simple and so delicious!
I'm honestly really surprised {and annoyed at myself} that I have never posted a risotto recipe on here! Risotto is really a weekly staple in my household, and our favorite is mushroom risotto with tons and tons of Parmesan cheese. That will definitely have to be shared on my lil bloggie soon! This particular batch was made with radicchio, which is an Italian purple chicory that's slightly bitter but turns mellow with just a little bite when cooked. Also totally delicious, but since radicchio is harder to find, I'll probably share the mushroom version with y'all first 🙂 Just know that any kind of risotto will work to make risotto cakes!
I'm gonna share a simple savory risotto recipe for this, but again, you can definitely use your personal favorite! And if it's leftover risotto, that will work even better than freshly made. If it has time to sit in the fridge overnight and thicken, it will be easier to work with and will stay in patty form more easily! If you have leftover mashed potatoes as opposed to risotto, you can also make basically the same thing. You can find my recipe for Potato Croquettes here! Why settle for regular leftovers when you can fry them, right? 😉
- *for the risotto*
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup finely minced onion
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cups water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- *for the cakes*
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- vegetable oil, for frying
- In a large nonstick pot over medium heat, combine the butter and onion, and let cook until the onion is fragrant and translucent.
- Add in the rice, stir to coat in the butter, and let it toast for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Add in the wine, and let it cook until the alcohol has evaporated.
- Add in the water or broth, about a cup at a time, waiting until the previous cup has been absorbed almost completely before adding more. You may or may not need it all!
- Cook the risotto until it has a thick and creamy texture. Remember that for the cakes, you will want it a bit stiffer and less soupy. It will also thicken a bit as it cools.
- Stir in the parmesan, mozzarella, salt and pepper, and set aside to cool completely before making the cakes. Refrigerate for a couple of hours if possible.
- When ready to make the risotto cakes, set up an assembly line with the risotto on one end, followed by a bowl of the flour mixed with the garlic powder, a bowl of the beaten eggs, and a bowl of the panko breadcrumbs. Have a cookie sheet lined with wax paper on the other side to set the formed cakes.
- Using a cookie/ice cream scoop, scoop out golf ball-sized portions of risotto, and flatten them into patties with your hands. Coat lightly with the flour, followed by the egg, and the panko. Set on the prepared cookie sheet.
- When all patties are ready, pour about an inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet {I like using my cast iron skillet}, and heat over medium high until it shimmers.
- Fry the patties 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and set on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.
- Salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy warm!
Kimberli Poties says
Thanks a lot for the blog post. Really looking forward to reading more.