Rice Patties – Recipe for Leftover Rice – Making Rice Fritters

These leftover rice patties are crunchy and savory with a fresh flavor that comes from a variety of garden herbs.

The patties make a smart use of any extra rice you might have in your fridge. 

Leftover rice is very versatile and can be used for fried rice, stuffed peppers, Mediterranean salads, vegetarian recipes, and all sorts of other dishes.

Do you ever wonder what to do with leftover rice? You are in luck. Today, we’ll be turning the leftover rice into delicious rice fritters that you can serve as a meatless Monday side dish with any protein.

Keep reading to learn how to use leftover rice in these delicious rice patties.

How to make rice patties

These savory rice fritters (also known as French beignets and Greek loukoumades)taste similar to potato pancakes, but they are even easier to make since there are no potatoes to peel! This is the perfect way to use up stale rice and garden onions.

The rice patty recipe is easy to do and ready in less than 20 minutes. Best of all, you can double the recipe if needed for a big gathering.

Ingredients for the rice patties

To make the rice fritters, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 2 cups of leftover rice
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons each of fresh parsley, thyme, and oregano
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/3 cup of fat-free cheddar cheese

How to make rice fritters

Start by dicing the onion very finely and chopping the fresh herbs. 

Combine the rice with the cornstarch, onions, herbs, and egg. The mixture will be quite sticky, but that is what you want. It means the rice patties will stick together well and not fall apart when you pan fry them!

Use a muffin scoop to portion out the rice fritters.

Flatten the rice fritters, and they are ready for the pan!

Once the cheesy rice fritters have been formed, heat some oil over medium-high heat until it is hot.

Place the rice patties in the pan and fry until lightly browned – about 5 minutes per side.

Don’t crowd the pan. This recipe makes 8 patties, so it is best to cook them in two batches.

Not only does this ensure more even cooking, but it also makes it much easier to flip the fritters.

TIP: To make flipping the patties easier, use a pan with sloped sides. Then, you can use a spatula to push the patty up the side of the pan, where it is very easy to flip it without breaking.

Serve the leftover rice pancakes immediately, garnished with spring onions for an extra fresh onion taste.

Tasting the rice fritters

This rice fritters recipe is savory and fresh from the garden herbs. The patties have a comforting taste of cheddar cheese and the tang of onions.

The crunchy texture is the best part of these fritters. 

If you enjoy those last bits of crispy rice, then you will love these delicious fritters!

Once the fried rice patties are made, you can use them as a side dish with a protein. You could also serve them as a vegetarian lunch along with salsa, guacamole, hummus, or anything else that has a spicy or savory flavor.

How many calories does a rice fritter have?

A standard, deep-fried, battered fritter has 300-400 calories.

These lightened-up pan-fried rice fritters have much less – they work out to 149 calories each with 8 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of protein.

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Admin note: this post for left over rice recipes first appeared on the blog in April of 2013. I have updated the post to add all new photos, a printable recipe card with nutrition, and a video for you to enjoy.

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Yield: 8 rice fritter patties

Rice Patties - How to Make Rice Fritters

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Turn leftover rice into a delicious side dish with this easy recipe for cheesy fried rice patties.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups of leftover cooked rice, any type
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/3 cup fat free cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Dice the onion finely and chop the fresh herbs.
2. Combine the leftover rice, egg, fresh herbs, fat-free cheese, onion, and cornstarch. Mix well.
3. Using a muffin scoop, scoop out the mixture and press first, and then release on a cutting board to make patties. Flatten the patties slightly with your fingers.
4. In a frying pan with curved sides, heat oil for shallow frying.
5. When the oil is hot, add the patties, pressing down slightly to form a flat fritter. Don't crowd the pan.
6. Fry one side until golden brown for about 5 minutes, and flip to the other side.
7. Drain fritters on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
8. Serve with salsa, guacamole, hummus, or anything else that has a spicy, fresh flavor.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Mini Rice Cooker Cookbook
• 
  Calphalon Nonstick Frying Pan Set with Stay-Cool Handles, 8- and 10-Inch, Grey
• 
  Aroma Housewares ARC-994SB Rice & Grain Cooker Slow Cook,

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 149Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 214mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

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