Baked Vegetarian Rice Poppers

In our house brown rice is a staple. So using my wonderful rice maker, we make 6 cups of rice every 3 days (no one wants old rice). But sometimes, we have too much rice, so I make little rice poppers.

Using a combination of herbs, spices, and fillings, you can create a bit of fun! These are so versatile. Sometimes I make them totally vegan, no cheese required. Just use great seasonings (garlic, onions and saffron for a paella style works well. If you are a pescatarian, stuff a little shrimp or two in the center of each ball. For Christmas Eve I made these using cheese but still vegetarian. You can add peas or tomato paste to make them Italian style, taco seasoning and a TBS of thick salsa for Mexican style, or season with Thai herbs. The list goes on.  But here's the basic

Mix Together...

• 1cup leftover brown rice
• 1/4c-1/3c of herbs chopped finely (your favorites), great place to add a bit of flax or chia. Try any combination of onions mint, cilantro, garlic, even nuts.  Finely minced seeded peppers (red/green/yellow or jalapeno) Use fresh or dry, not frozen.
• 1-2 eggs for binding. I typically use 1 brown egg. 
• 1TBS of broth or wine
• salt/pepper to taste 
• pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1/3c - 1/2c of Parmesan cheese

Roll Above Mixture In... 

• 1/4c of Parmesan.  Sometimes I tuck a small bit of mozzarella in the center for an extra treat, but this batch is "we are going to the beach in a few days" recipe.
• 1c bread crumbs 

Spray mini-muffin pan for poppers. For this batch, I moistened my hands with olive oil and rolled a spoonful of the mixture in the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Cook in 400 degree oven until golden brown (15-20 minutes). Don't over cook. 

My recipe is a tasty snack and I've reduced the use of eggs, cheese, and oil.  But here is a more traditional recipe that I would consider "oven fried."  It too is very tasty, but if I have to drain treats on a paper towel, it is usually eliminated from my cookbook or revised.  You may wish to try this Baked Italian Brown Rice Ball recipe from Lisa's Kitchen. 

Kathleen Brandt

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