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.
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!
How to make crispy risotto cakes
- Make a lot of risotto the night before so there's plenty of leftovers
- Chill the risotto overnight in a covered container
- Measure out the well chilled risotto into ½ cup portions
- Form each portion into a round disk to form a cake
- Dip each cake into plain flour. then into beaten eggs, then into unseasoned bread crumbs
- Shallow fry the cakes in olive oil in a pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side
- 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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
Easy Risotto Cakes
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).
Ebba
Can these be frozen? And at what stage?
Karrie
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!!
Ann
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!
Karrie
Thank you Ann and my recipe risotto cake recipe is going to be ramps and lemon! Yummy!! Sounds divine with the baked salmon too 🙂
Lucy
Looks fantastic! I'm gonna try this recipe in an air fryer. Wish me luck!
Karrie
Good luck Lucy and please let me know how they turn out in the air fryer!
Lev Raphael
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!
Karrie
That's wonderful Lev and so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Lucia
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 😀
Karrie
Love it Lucia and so glad you tried my recipe and liked it! Sometimes I make risotto just to have leftovers to make these cakes! LOL! Let me know how you like the balls and pancakes when you make them 🙂
Rahul
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.
Ann
Yum! Super quick recipe! I like that it takes less than 10 minutes to make. I have a hunch that I’m gonna go crazy over this. This recipe has all chances to become one of my favorites.
Thank you a lot for sharing this fab idea and such detailed instructions. Can’t wait to give the recipe a try (hope in a couple of days). I’m so happy to have discovered your blog. Gonna browse it to explore more incredible recipes. Keep it up!
Best wishes,
Ann
Karrie
Thank you Ann! Less than 10 minute recipes are the best! lol!
Janice
These look yummy-I'm putting these on my recipe list!
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Thank you Janice!
kushi
They look so delicious and tempting. Thank you for sharing. Going to try this soon!
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Thanks so much Kushi!
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Goodness these are gorgeous! I love how you think, Karrie! Food for 135 for 2. Which means...I can pretty much stop by any time and know you'll be ready for my appetite! About that villa...oh yes - I'm in. Either Julia's or Frances Mayes's villa (in Italy) named Bramasole, should it ever become available! Such decisions....
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Thank you Annie. I'm so happy that other people cook as much as I do (because sometimes it's a little embarrassing). Whatever, I love leftovers!! Can you imagine? Would love to live in Italy or France. Oh, one day
Katie Crenshaw
I am loving the look of these risotto cakes, Karrie! They look perfect. YUM! If you get Julia's cottage, would you consider a time share? Hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend with your family. I am sure your table will be filled with amazing dishes. xoxo
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Thanks Katie and yes, that cottage would be perfect as a time share Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too, my friend. xoxo
Kathleen
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. These will always be on my to-make list every time I make a vat of risotto!
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Thank you Kathleen and I always make way too much of anything food but I love leftovers so it all works out Happy you liked the cakes!