These Vegan Risotto Balls are the perfect appetizer for any occasion. They are really easy to make and you can use other rice recipes you like.
They are 100% vegan and gluten-free. They are also perfect for lactose-intolerant people because we’ve used extra virgin olive oil, almond milk and nutritional yeast instead of cheese and butter.
I love vegan food, you can make delicious dishes and you’ll find no difference. You won’t believe these vegan risotto balls are dairy-free!
In the photo below you can see our vegan risotto. It’s a healthier version of traditional risotto and it’s very simple, but you can add other vegetables, herbs or spices if you want.
To coat in batter our vegan risotto balls, we’ve used almond milk, rice flour and nutritional yeast instead. You can also use other kinds of milk and flour, or you can use breadcrumbs or brewer’s yeast, but they’re not gluten-free.
Nutritional yeast is one of our favorite ingredients, and we use it in many recipes like this Vegan Pasta Alfredo or this Vegan Pesto Bruschetta.
If the oil isn’t hot enough, your balls will be greasy and oily, so be careful! If you want a lighter and healthier version, you can cook your balls in the oven.
We don’t fry very often, but once in a while we make some recipe like these balls. When we fried, we always use extra virgin olive oil and we never use a fryer or reuse oil. We also put our balls on a plate with paper towel to remove excess oil.
These Vegan Risotto Balls are cheap, quick, easy, crunchy on the outside and so soft and creamy in the inside. They are so delicious and you’re gonna love them!
Vegan Risotto Balls
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- 20 1x
- Appetizer
- Vegan, Italian
Servings 20 1x
These Vegan Risotto Balls are the perfect appetizer for any occasion. They are 100% vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 cup white wine (125 milliliters)
- 1 cup rice (200 grams)
- 1/2 cup almond milk (125 milliliters) + 6 tablespoons (to coat in batter the balls)
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water (500 milliliters)
- 6 tablespoons rice flour
- 8 tablespoons nutritional yeast (2 tbsp to make the risotto and 6 tbsp to coat in batter the balls)
Instructions
- In a non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add chopped garlic and onion and cook until golden brown.
- Add the rice and saute for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the white wine and cook until it’s fully absorbed.
- Add a ladle of hot vegetable broth (or hot water) to the rice and stir until the broth is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of broth and repeat the process. You need to stir constantly, especially while the liquid gets absorbed, to prevent scorching. Continue adding broth for about 18 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, and the last time add almond milk instead of vegetable broth. Stir until the milk is absorbed.
- Stir in two tablespoons of nutritional yeast and salt to taste (it’s optional, we don’t add salt).
- Let stand covered for 5 minutes.
- Wet your hands with water so the rice doesn’t stick to your fingers. When the risotto is cold you can make balls. Dip each ball in the milk, then in the flour, then in the milk again, and finally in the nutritional yeast.
- Once the oil is hot, add 2 or 3 balls to the pot and fry them until golden brown.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 risotto ball
- Calories: 86
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 11.8 mg
- Fat: 1.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.2 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 4.1 g
Do you cook the rice first?
Nevermind. If I read the recipe completely before asking I would have known the answer.
Don’t worry Mike 🙂 Have a nice day!
I made these today with some leftover leek and pea risotto, and they came out great! They barely took any time and were a great addition to a big salad 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Lydia! Sounds great 🙂 SO glad you liked them!
If I want to bake them instead how long would I cook them and what temp?? Thanks
Hi Kimber! I would bake them at 400ºF or 200ºC until golden brown 🙂
Hi Natalie! I’ve never frozen and reheated it myself, but I think it should work. You’re so welcome 😉
Can you tell me if I can freeze these and then reheat? I would like to cook ahead for an event. Thanks a million 🙂
This sounds so delicious that I have to pin it to my Veeg Pinterest board for vegan snacks! I’m a new vegan recipe blogger, and all that I am getting to learn about various ingredients and flavors is such a pleasure! Life is too short to eat the same old take out all of the time – let’s cook up something beautiful!
Hi Renee! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you like it
Hello
Is it possible to use something instead of almond milk??
Thanks
Hi Rashmi! Any plant milk will do 🙂
Hi there, you mentioned brewer’s yeast… is this a substitute for nutritional yeast? I’m in Chile and nutritional yeast is really expensive and half the time they don’t have it in stock. But I’ve found I can order a large quantity of brewers yeast online…. just wanted to check first
Thanks in advance!
Hi Amber! Yes, I also use brewers yeast here in Spain, it’s called “levadura nutricional desamargada” in Spanish. It’s less bitter than regular brewers yeast. Have a nice day!
What could i use instead of wine? I’d like to try the oven version for my 6yo. Yum.
Hi Vicki! Add some water or broth 🙂
Have you ever fried them then eaten cold? For a picnic the next day?
Hi Pixie! Yes, they taste amazing 😀
Looking forward to making these for my daughter! She became vegan last June and ever since I have been struggling to make her food!!! She’s over the pasta thing and won’t eat pb&j at school anymore so I’m excited for some new recipes! Thank you!
Hi Fran! I hope your daughter enjoy our recipes 🙂 Have a nice day!
I made them and she LOVED them!!! “Bangin'” were here exact words ? I think next time I’ll put a piece of her vegan cheese inside too!!
Thanks again!
Hi Fran! I’m so happy to read that 😀
Do you think I could use just plain gluten free flour instead of rice flour?
Hi Stephanie! I think it could work 🙂
Could you suggest a non gluten free flour alternative? Something that I might have on hand already? (Like A.P. Flour). Thank you so much! Made your jambalaya tonight and my family of 5 loved it!
Hi! Feel free to use any type of flour 🙂 I suggest you wheat flour! Have a nice day!
Can I make rather than fry the rice balls?
Hi Sandra! Bake them at 355ºF or 180ºC until golden brown 🙂
These look amazing! I’m going to make them this week and report back to how they turned out. So excited I found your blog!
Hi Jamie! Thanks a lot! I hope you like the risotto balls 🙂