• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Tasty Ever After
  • Search for Recipes
  • Most Popular Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Most Popular Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
×
Home » Side Dishes

Easy Risotto Cakes

10/17/2019 Updated: 03/11/2023 By Karrie 14 Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
  • Reddit
Skip to Recipe
Easy Risotto cakes pinterest PIN

A super quick recipe for Easy Risotto Cakes uses just 5 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to make!  An economical and tasty way to use up leftover risotto.

Two crispy risotto cakes on a bed of baby lettuces.

This quick recipe for Easy Risotto Cakes uses just 5 ingredients and will have you sitting down at a table eating in less than 10 minutes!

A fantastic way to use up leftover risotto

If you are like me and make risotto for 135 people at one time (even though there's only two of us in my household), you may wonder what do with the leftovers. 

A few days ago, I found myself in this exact situation. 

Needing some major comfort food the other night, I made a double recipe of my Leek Risotto with Gouda and Smoked Mushrooms. 

Now faced with a huge Tupperware container filled with leftover risotto, I knew there was definitely going to be some crispy risotto cakes were in my near future!

Step by step of how to make rice cakes

How to make crispy risotto cakes

  1. Make a lot of risotto the night before so there's plenty of leftovers
  2. Chill the risotto overnight in a covered container
  3. Measure out the well chilled risotto into ½ cup portions
  4. Form each portion into a round disk to form a cake
  5. Dip each cake into plain flour. then into beaten eggs, then into unseasoned bread crumbs
  6. Shallow fry the cakes in olive oil in a pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side
  7. Place the crispy risotto cakes on a plate and enjoy IMMEDIATELY!! 

Unbelievably crispy on the outside, fluffy and cheesy on the inside.

I can't even begin to describe how good these cakes are and they take minimal effort too!

Rice cakes cooking in a pan

What kind of risotto to use?

The best kind of leftover risotto to use are ones with a decent amount of cheese in it.

The cheese acts as a binder and will help keep the cake together.

The risotto should also be well chilled and cold.

It's easier to work with and helps hold everything together while the cakes are being formed and prepared for frying.

Basically, this risotto cake recipe will work with any ol’ leftover cheesy risotto, like my Spinach Artichoke version.

Whatever you got, feel free to use it!

Cut open risotto cake showing the inside

An easy recipe to add to your list of vegetarian side dishes

My Mom is a vegetarian and this recipe is one of her favorites. 

She loves having risotto as a vegetarian main dish, since it's so hearty and comforting. 

I think she also likes it because she knows she'll have leftovers the next day for risotto cakes.

What to serve with risotto cakes

  • A big green salad ~ For a light lunch or dinner, a salad is the ultimate companion to the cakes. Try this Greek Salad or this 7 Layer Salad
  • Any kind of meat or seafood ~ Risotto cakes are wonderful when paired with meatloaf, shrimp diane, braised beef short ribs, pork roast, BBQ chicken, pot roast, steak kabobs, roast turkey, smoked stuffed chicken, lamb shanks, roasted whole chicken, stuffed acorn squash, and Julia Child's Coq au Vin. They pretty much go with anything!
  • Eggs ~ One of my favorite ways to eat risotto cakes is for breakfast, with a poached or over easy egg on top. It seriously makes the best breakfast or brunch around. Sometimes I make risotto the night before for dinner, just to have leftovers for the next morning.
  • A side of green vegetable ~ Keep it an all vegetarian meal by serving it a green veggie. This Mexican roasted broccoli recipe or this spicy Sriracha broccoli are both delicious accompaniments. Indian creamed spinach is another quick and easy side dish or go healthy with a sauteed green beans recipe.
  • With a bunch of appetizers ~ Make the cakes a little smaller and put with a variety of other appetizers, like in this seafood platter.
Rice cakes on lettuce with minced chives on top

How to make risotto cakes ahead of time

These rice cakes can be made ahead of time and cooked or reheated at a later time for a dinner, party, or dinner party.  lol! 

  • Bread the cakes and put them in the refrigerator for a few hours until ready to cook later
  • OR cook them in advance, allow to completely cool, and put in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheating rice cakes is so easy! Place the cooked risotto cakes on a baking sheet in a preheated 350F/176C degree oven for about 12 minutes. Turn them over after the first 6 minutes to make sure each side gets crispy.
Side of breaded rice cakes on a plate on top of fresh greens

More recipes to make with leftover risotto

Risotto Balls ~ Take a couple of tablespoons of the chilled risotto mixture and form balls instead of cakes. The result are crispy "all the way around" bite-sized balls that make ideal appetizers or as finger food. Serve them with some kind of a dip, like this ranch dip or feta dressing.

Risotto Pancakes ~ Just like risotto cakes but thinner and crispier. This recipe works well with risotto that doesn't have a lot of or any cheese in it.

Did you try this recipe? Please leave a comment and a rating below to let me know! I LOVE to hear from you!

RECIPE

Easy Risotto Cakes

Easy Risotto Cakes

This quick recipe for Easy Risotto Cakes uses just 5 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes! A great way to use leftover risotto.
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer/Entree, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 311kcal
Author: Karrie | Tasty Ever After

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup frying olive oil
  • 2 cups leftover risotto
  • 1 egg , beaten
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ¼ cup unseasoned bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. While the oil is heating up, set up a breading station with three shallow plates with flour in one, the beaten egg in another, and the bread crumbs in the third.
  • Divide risotto into 4 separate but equal portions. Form each portion into a round shape and dip first in the flour, then dip in the egg, then dip last in the bread crumbs. Place each cake in the hot oil and shallow fry for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until browned and crispy.
  • Serve hot as a main or side dish, anytime of the day for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Recipe Notes & Tips:

  • Can make the risotto cakes ahead of time by: 1. Bread the cakes and put them in the refrigerator for a few hours until ready to cook or 2. Cook them ahead of time, allow to completely cool, and put in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat leftover cooked risotto cakes by placing them on a baking sheet in a preheated 350F/176C degree oven for about 12-15 minutes (Turn them over after the first 7 minutes to make sure each side gets crispy).
Nutrition Facts
Easy Risotto Cakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 40mg13%
Sodium 65mg3%
Potassium 52mg1%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 60IU1%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @tastyeverafter or tag #tastyeverafter

More Side Dishes

  • Red Cabbage with apples in a dutch oven with a wooden spoon
    Braised Cabbage with Apples
  • A pot of stovetop easy baked beans with a serving spoon in the beans
    Easy Baked Beans Recipe
  • Easy sweet potato casserole recipe in a square white baking pan
    Easy Sweet Potato Casserole {with streusel topping}
  • Leek Risotto {with Gouda and Mushrooms}

 ©  Tasty Ever After  All images and content are copyright protected, so please do not copy or claim my work as your own.  Please do not use any images or republish this recipe without prior permission.  If you want to reference this recipe, link directly back to this post.  Thank you.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Let me know what you think about the recipe below! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Shar Jordan

    February 21, 2023 at 7:54 pm

    5 stars
    I was happy to discover this tecipe as a way to both use up leftover risotto and pretend I was having arancini in Rome. Ha ha. I love tge idea of serving for reakfast or brunch with poached egg, so plan to try that to orrow morning!

    Reply
  2. Kathy Stewart

    December 09, 2022 at 8:22 pm

    5 stars
    They were delicious and easy way to use up leftovers. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Ebba

    June 24, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    Can these be frozen? And at what stage?

    Reply
    • Karrie

      June 27, 2021 at 1:43 pm

      Hi Ebba, I don't really recommend freezing because (in my opinion) it changes the quality of the risotto, but it may not bother others, so here's instruction on how to freeze risotto cakes :). Coat them with the breadcrumbs (don't cook) and wrap each one individually with plastic wrap and then place those in a freezer proof container for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and follow the post's cooking instructions for the cakes. Hope you enjoy them!!

      Reply
  4. Ann

    May 02, 2021 at 8:23 am

    5 stars
    Really good and really easy. I had some leftover ramp and lemon risotto I didn't want to go to waste. I grated in some extra random bits of cheese as it was recommended to help bind the cakes, and gave a really good stir with a rubber spatula to help it all moosh together. Formed and breaded the cakes in advance and let them chill and firm up on a small rack in the fridge until dinnertime, so all I had to do was fry them up. I added some butter to the oil for flavour. They made a lovely side dish for baked salmon. I will definitely make this again whether it's "just us" or for a party (whenever we can have parties again) - much easier than making fresh risotto while company is here!

    Reply
  5. Lucy

    April 25, 2021 at 2:21 pm

    5 stars
    Tried these in an air fryer and they were fantastic!

    Reply
  6. Lev Raphael

    February 17, 2021 at 8:27 am

    5 stars
    I just had enough leftover risotto with cheese in it for two cakes, but that was perfect for the light lunch we wanted. Thanks for this imaginative recipe--it's a keeper!

    Reply
  7. Chris Parsons

    November 29, 2020 at 11:24 am

    5 stars
    Goodness these cakes were the best! Made your spinach artichoke risotto for Thanksgiving and then made these and they were delicious!

    Reply
  8. Lucia

    November 09, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    I have some leftover risotto then i google on how to use them and found your site, because it looks simple and doesnt use much ingredients, so i gave it a try. This one is defenitely better than the Risotto itself, thank you for the amazing simple and tasty recipe, gonna make this everytime i have leftover risotto. And i cant wait to try making Risotto Balls and Risotto Pancakes as well 😀

    Reply
  9. Rahul

    September 27, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe today and it was super crispy outside and soft inside. I had it with pesto sauce. It taste amazing. Thanks for the recipe Karrie.

    Reply
  10. Ann

    November 27, 2019 at 4:17 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! Super quick and delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing this fab idea and such detailed instructions so it was easy to make. I’m so happy to have discovered your blog. Gonna browse it to explore more recipes.

    Reply
  11. Janice

    January 24, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    These look yummy-I'm putting these on my recipe list!

    Reply
  12. Kari C

    January 24, 2017 at 6:28 am

    5 stars
    I am loving these risotto cakes! Never had or made these before but they are my favorite now.

    Reply
  13. M.D.

    December 28, 2016 at 11:52 am

    5 stars
    Yes, I am one of those people that makes risotto for 135 people for just my husband and I! These risotto cakes are just fantastic and I can't think of a better way to use up the leftovers.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Picture of food blogger Tasty Ever After

Thank you for visiting Tasty Ever After and I'm Karrie! I hope you enjoy spending some time here finding easy scratch made recipes for the home cook.

More about me →

Popular

  • Sweet potato and sausage kale soup in a large serving bowl with a blue napkin
    Chorizo Sausage Kale Soup
  • Banana Cream Pie with fresh slices of bananas on top
    Banana Cream Pie Recipe {from scratch}
  • graham cracker crust pressed in a pie dish on a light surface
    The BEST Graham Cracker Crust
  • a white bowl filled with fluffy Chantilly cream
    How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

Let's Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact me here!

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com

Copyright © 2023 Tasty Ever After