Crispy Veggie Rice Balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Mahatma® Jasmine Rice
- 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
- 3 oz extra firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/8 -inch cubes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tsp everything bagel seasoning mix
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup carrot, grated
- 1/4 cup cucumber, grated
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, grated
- 3 tbsp vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 scallions, sliced
- Pickled ginger, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Prepare 1 1/2 cups rice with 2 cups water. The rice should be sticky. Cool completely.
Step 2
In a small pan set over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. Fry tofu cubes for 2-3 mins or until golden. Season with salt. Transfer to bowl; set aside. Set aside pan with oil for later use.
Step 3
In large bowl, season rice with everything bagel seasoning and drizzle with vinegar. Mix to combine; set aside.
Step 4
In medium bowl, combine carrots, cucumbers, red pepper, tofu and cream cheese until combined.
Step 5
In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sriracha and sesame oil. Serve rice balls with soy sauce mixture and garnish with pickled ginger and freshly sliced scallions.
Step 6
Divide rice among 6 portions. Spoon 1 heaping tbsp of vegan filling into the center of each rice portion. With wet hands, shape and squeeze into a compact ball to enclose filling.
Step 7
In a medium pan set over medium-high heat. In batches, cook rice balls, flipping often, for 2 to 3 mins or until crispy on the outside and heated through.
Recipe Tip
Alternatively, serve with soy sauce spiked with wasabi paste.
Crispy Rice Veggie Balls
Crispy Veggie Rice Balls can serve both as a great starter recipe and a delicious snack or party treat – plus, it’s a great way to use leftover rice!
There are several ways you can make these Crispy Rice Balls: you can deep fry them on a medium-high flame, or you can use an Air Fryer as an alternative to pan frying to reduce your oil consumption. If you choose to deep fry them, start with one ball to test. If the balls split open, just add some more binding agent.
Give This Recipe a Twist
The best part of these delicious Crispy Rice Balls is on the inside. Experiment with the filling, use meat, cheese, or any kind of stuffing you and your guests like. The recipe is very simple to customize as long as you are using the proper rice variety to achieve the needed texture for the balls. You can learn more about our different rice varieties here.
Storing and Reheating Rice Balls
If you are planning on bringing these delicious Crispy Rice Balls to your next party, you might have to make them in advance. In this case, you can transfer the pan fried rice balls to a cooling rack and let them cool to room temperature. Once cooled, you can store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Re-crisp the veggie rice balls in a 400-degree oven and enjoy hot!
If you enjoyed these Veggie Rice Balls? Give these Air Fryer Arancini with Arroz Rojo a try for a cheesy version of this snack or make these Israeli Fusion Rice Balls for the meat filled version. If you are craving something sweeter, why not learn how to make Arroz con Leche?
Recipe Tips
Serve these Veggie Rice Balls hot with the sauce. Alternatively, you can also serve soy sauce spiked with wasabi paste.
For best results, make sure you use the correct water rice ratio.
