Buffalo Rice Balls
Silly name, I know.. but it is what they are so, moving on. When I first became a vegetarian one of the favors I missed the most was buffalo sauce and blue cheese. I have since found several ways to get my fix, one of my favorites being these Buffalo Rice Balls. The rice balls themselves are really simple to make and are super satisfying and while my favorite use is to cover them in buffalo sauce and blue cheese, they could easily be paired with another sauce or eaten on their own.
This recipe is so simple and can be easily adapted with what you have on hand. Use up the half of an onion in your fridge (whatever kind of onion it is), add extra garlic if you like, or less celery if thats more your style. The only important thing to note with this recipe is the rice. To make this recipe even easier I use Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice that is heated in the microwave before combining with the other ingredients. This rice is one of my favorite staple items from TJ’s, I don’t know how they do it but the rice has such a nice chewy texture which works so well in this recipe. You can make these with whatever grain you have on hand (farro also works great) but the chewier texture definitely works best.
For Serving, these are great to dip and pop just like boneless wings but my favorite is to use them on a salad using the same veggies that go into the balls. Chop romaine, onion, carrots, and celery in a bowl … maybe add some cucumber and crumbles of blue cheese too, then top with buffalo balls - creates a full meal in no time. Enjoy!
Buffalo Rice Balls
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil for cooking
- Salt + Pepper
- Your favorite Buffalo Sauce
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 375
- COOK YOUR VEGGIES: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion, carrots and celery and cook for 1-2 minutes then add your garlic, continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until veggies are softened. season to taste with S+P then remove from heat to let cool.
- COMBINE: Once veggies are cooled combine them in a bowl with rice, breadcrumbs and egg.
- FORM BALLS: Spray a sheet pan with some non-stick cooking spray. Use your hands to form mixture into balls about that are about 1.5 inches and place on the baking sheet. When making the balls, pack the mixture together in your hands, and using wet hands helps the mixture not stick to you.
- BAKE: Bake the rice balls in the oven for about 15 minutes then turn them over and cook for another 10-15, they should start to turn golden and get a little crispy on the outside.
- SAUCE IT UP: Once the balls are done cooking, toss them in your favorite buffalo sauce. Use as much or little as you like depending on your preference. and enjoy them with your favorite blue cheese sauce or on a salad!