Fried Mushroom and Thyme Risotto
Instructions
Risotto lovers rejoice, this Fried Mushroom and Thyme Risotto, brought to Mahatma® by With Love, Tere, is crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and incredibly delicious all around.
Step 1
In a medium saucepan, bring ¼ teaspoon salt and broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add rice and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender and stir every 5 minutes.
Step 2
While your rice cooks, sauteé the onions in 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-high heat until they are translucent. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic and continue cooking for two more minutes.
Step 3
Combine the sauteé mix with the cooked rice and add Parmesan, peas, and 1 tbsp of butter. Mix well and let cool completely.
Step 4
Once cooled, beat the egg and stir it into the rice mixture. Shape the mixture into ten 1 1/2-inch balls and coat each one with breadcrumbs.
Step 5
Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if time allows. If refrigerating overnight, make sure to roll in more breadcrumbs before frying.
Step 6
In large saucepan, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat until a deep-dry thermometer reads 350 F. Fry the rice balls, in batches, and turn them until they are golden brown on all sides, for about 4 minutes for each batch. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil, place on paper towels to remove excess oil, and season with salt.
Step 7
Top with fresh basil, shaved parmesan, and serve with your favorite marinara sauce.
Fried… Risotto?
Many of us are guilty of loving some sort of fried food. Whether it’s fried chicken, french fries, fried fish, or even fried pickles, sometimes it just tastes better with a bit of frying. But have you ever heard of fried risotto? Well, it exists and it is delicious! These Fried Mushroom and Thyme Risotto Balls are sinfully good and will leave you wanting to make them time and time again.
You may be wondering how you actually fry risotto. Well, it’s actually quite simple. Once you’ve cooked the risotto with the added veggies, spices, herbs, and Parmesan, you let the risotto cool completely. Once cooled, you mix in a beaten egg and roll the risotto and egg mixture into balls by hand. Once rolled, you cover each ball in breadcrumbs and refrigerate. After refrigerating, it’s time to fry! Easy enough, right? Once done, you serve with your favorite marinara and bite into the crunchy and creamy goodness that’s soon to be one of your favorite meals.
Recipe Variations
This technique will work with risotto consistency and an egg so try this tasty process with your favorite risotto recipe for some different flavors. For best results, we recommend using Mahatma® Arborio Medium Grain Rice. If you wanted something more aromatic, swap in a different grain. After all, what is jasmine rice if not our most fragrant variety?
Other Meal Inspiration
If you are still craving a Mediterranean style meal, take a look at this Seafood Paella Recipe. Alternatively, for something with more of a Latin American flavor why not try out this Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe? If it’s Thai food you want, learn how to make this coconut rice recipe.
