Leftover Rice Balls

Skillet fried rice balls, a great way to reuse leftover white rice, are a delicious viral recipe that is perfect as an appetizer or snack. Perfect as finger food, crispy rice balls are a super popular recipe that has no need for heavy deep frying.

Serve rice balls alone or alongside this spicy bang bang chicken recipe for a full meal.

Where did this leftover white rice recipe come from?

While rice ball recipes are aplenty on the internet, we originally saw this awesome idea from creator @carolinagelen. Unfortunately, her video has been deleted, so I cannot share it (although she has other great recipes on her page, which you should visit).

Instead, we did find a sample of the recipe, also credited to Carolina, that you can see made here by creator @saltynsweeteats. 

@saltynsweeteats

Made @carolinagelen rice balls! They didn’t turn out as pretty, but they tasted delicious 😋 #riceballs #stickyrice #lefotvers #saltynsweeteats #fyp

♬ original sound – ALTÉGO

Are leftover rice balls worth making?

These were not too bad with some soy sauce or some homemade yum yum sauce!

I’m sure you could do other things with them, but I was drawing a blank. They have very few ingredients and are easy to make.

In general, leftover rice balls that are skillet-fried could also be stuffed like Korean rice balls, flavored like Indian rice balls, or combined with other Japanese rice ball additives.

This base recipe is a great idea to expand on and get creative with.

Ingredients: 

• Short-grain or medium-grain rice: The rice was just white rice, not instant, and takes 15-20 minutes to cook on the stovetop. It was cooled and chilled from my fridge, and rice balls proved to be a great way to use up leftover rice.
• Butter – Butter over oil provides a delicious taste and a golden brown outer shell. 
• Dipping Sauce: The most common dipping sauce for these easy leftover rice balls is soy sauce. But try other sauces, like yum yum sauce or this sriracha with mayo recipe for another great take.  

How to make Crispy Rice Balls

1. Place rice and water into a food processor and process until pasty, scraping down the edges as necessary.
2. Place rice into a skillet over medium-low, stirring occasionally for five minutes or until the mixture comes together in a ball. There is really no need to add other seasonings to this, but black pepper and a pinch of salt always taste great.
3. Remove the rice mixture from the heat and let it stand to cool a bit. 
4. Once the cooked rice is cool, heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.

5. Wash hands with water and soap. Shape the rice into 1-1/2″ balls (rolling in your palms) and place into the hot skillet of butter.
6. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently until browned on most sides. Drain on paper towels.
7. Serve fried rice balls hot with soy sauce. 

Best Rice Cooker

I have been using the same Zojirushi rice cooker for the last 8 years without any issues or replacing needed. This is the model I have listed on Amazon. 

What rice works best for rice balls? 

You will want sticky rice like Sushi rice (short grain or medium grain). 

How to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands

While I overall do not have an issue forming rice into balls, spray hands with a bit of nonstick cooking spray if this becomes an issue. 

What types of ingredients go well in rice balls? 

Seaweed, kimchi, tuna, garlic, sesame seeds, and tiny bits of avocado. Another idea is to make them more arancini style with panko breadcrumbs on the outer shell. 

Leftover Rice Recipes: 3 Simple Ideas

1. Fried Rice A classic favorite, quickly toss the leftover rice with some vegetables, a protein source like chicken or tofu, and some soy sauce or teriyaki sauce for a delicious meal.

2. Stuffed Peppers or tomatoes Use the leftover rice as a base for a filling mixture. Combine it with cooked meat, beans, vegetables, and seasonings, then stuff it into hollowed-out bell peppers or tomatoes.

3. Soup Thickener Add texture and heartiness to soups by throwing in leftover rice. It’ll absorb the flavors of the soup, making for a filling and satisfying meal. Try in Broccoli Cheese Soup, Crockpot Sausage Tortellini, or Savory Italian Meatball Soup.

Savor the Trend: Must-Try Appetizer Recipes

• Move over frozen; homemade Dorito mozzarella sticks are crunchy, delicious, and air fryer made. 
• Creamy and smoked, grilled or oven-baked, smoked cream cheese is incredibly easy to alter and serve.
• Dips are perfect to serve year-round and smoked queso, and this creamy boat dip recipe will please everyone.
• Try our newest appetizer recipe – Frito Corn Salad!