Cheesy rice balls are excellent appetizers with a healthy, nutritious twist. They hit all the marks: crispy, cheesy, nutritive, and flavorful!
Cheesy rice balls on a serving tray with a side of marinara are irresistible. I’m a sucker for that crisp exterior texture followed by the almost fluffy steaming hot rice on the inside made better by creamy, rich cheese; an impressive cheese pull is also a plus. The thing is, most are made with white flour and white rice and don’t offer much value in terms of nutrition, but this recipe changes that. With simple swaps, I’ve transformed this game-day fave into cheesy rice balls you can feel good about eating. Better yet, you can eat more of them because eating just one (or two) is impossible.
Why You’ll Love Cheesy Rice Balls
Simple process – Cook the rice, process with the other ingredients, shape it into balls, coat, bake, and they’re ready to go. Cheesy rice balls are easy-to-make, no-fuss appetizers.
Simple ingredients – You probably have most of them in your kitchen. Rice, cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, your favorite jarred or homemade marinara—basic stuff.
They’re baked – Cheesy rice balls are often deep-fried, but these are baked, which, combined with brown rice and whole wheat flour, make them relatively healthy.
Three kinds of cheese – Ricotta, mozzarella, AND parmesan cheese are used in this recipe, and the trio is delicious. You get all the standout qualities that people generally like about cheese. Ricotta is tangy and sweet, mozzarella is neutral and milky, and parmesan is salty and nutty.
Panko coating – Regular breadcrumbs cannot compete with panko breadcrumbs. The crunch they provide is excellent.
Cheesy Rice Balls Ingredients Notes
To make cheesy rice balls, you will need:
Brown rice: I used short-grain brown rice because it clumps more easily, making it ideal for rice balls and similar recipes that involve shaping or molding.
Chicken broth: Cooking the rice in a combination of chicken broth and water gives it more flavor. If you only use water, the rice is bland and requires more seasoning than a touch of salt and black pepper.
Cheese: As mentioned, these cheesy rice balls are made with three kinds of cheese. Ricotta is tangy and sweet, mozzarella is neutral and milky, while parmesan is salty and nutty, so you get a bit of everything, and it’s all very satisfying.
Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are preferred because not only do they provide more crunch, but they create a lighter, airier, crispier coating that stays crispy.
Flour: Whole wheat flour is used to dredge the cheesy rice balls, and it is actually the best dredging flour due to its ability to hold more moisture than other flours, including the commonly used all-purpose flour.
Parsley: The freshness the herb adds is incredible. It brings a bit of brightness to the rice balls, which balances the cheese’s richness. Great garnish!
How to Make Cheesy Rice Balls
Cook the rice: Cook the rice according to the packaging instructions using half water and half broth instead of all water. You want the rice to be al dente.
Mix: Combine the rice, marinara sauce, ricotta, and half the parmesan with the help of a food processor. Don’t overdo this step. The goal is to break the rice to half its original size, so use the pulse setting instead of continuously running the processor.
Portion: I use a small ice cream scoop for this step. Just scoop portions onto a parchment-lined sheet.
Stuff and shape: Place some mozzarella in the center of each portion of rice, shape the rice around the mozzarella to form a ball, and then freeze briefly.
Coat: Start with dredge, dip each ball in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat in panko.
Bake: They need about 10 minutes, followed by 2 minutes under the broiler. Once done, garnish with parsley and serve with a side of marinara.
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Use white rice – Make sure it is short grain and follow the instructions closely to ensure the rice is cooked correctly. It requires a few more steps than long grain, and you must wash it thoroughly.
Add more seasoning – This recipe presents many opportunities to add seasonings like garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, etc. They can go into the rice, dredge, egg, or breadcrumbs. It’s entirely up to you.
Try different cheeses – Sharp or mild cheddar would work well here, as would a blend of mozzarella and provolone.
Oil – If the cheesy rice balls ever start to look super dry as they bake, lightly spritz them with olive oil cooking spray. Deep fry – These rice balls can go into oil if you don’t mind the extra fat. Any neutral oil will do. When fried, they are a lot like arancini.
Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe
Cheesy rice balls are excellent appetizers with a healthy, nutritious twist. They hit all the marks: crispy, cheesy, nutritive, and flavorful!
Ingredients
- 2 cups, brown rice, cooked (I use short grain and cooked it in half chicken broth, half water)
- 1/4 cup marinara (I use organic)
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (I use organic)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, divided, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- Once fully cooked, add to a food processor along with the marinara, ricotta and half of the parmesan cheese. Pulse together until the rice is half its original size and all of the ingredients are well combined.
- Using a small ice-cream scoop or your hands, form about 15 balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Insert the mozzarella into the center of the balls, then reform the rice around the cheese.
- Place the baking sheet into the freezer for about 4 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Meanwhile, using 3 small containers, fill one with the whisked eggs, another with the panko breadcrumbs, remaining Parmesan and a touch of salt and pepper, and the third with the flour.
- Once the rice balls are chilled, dredge first in the flour, then in the egg wash and last in the panko breadcrumbs.
- Return to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- To get a golden brown crust, turn the oven to Broil for about 2 minutes.
- Serve with marinara sauce and fresh parsley!
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