Risotto Cakes

Transform this tasty vegan risotto recipe into crispy risotto cakes. Two recipes in one; eat the risotto or make the risotto cake recipe; the choice is yours. Both are so yummy!

Recently, we spent a long weekend in Bisbee, Arizona, and ate at our favorite restaurant, Cafe Roka. We ate the most delicious vegan risotto cakes. So, of course, when I came home, I had to make risotto cakes. This risotto cake recipe can be eaten as a risotto dish in a bowl or made into crispy risotto cakes.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make Risotto
• How to Make Risotto Cakes
• Cooking Options
• Curry Sauce Ingredients
• Sauce Ingredient Substitutions
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Other Suggested Vegan Italian Dishes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Although Cafe Roka is not a vegan restaurant, the chef always serves one vegan dish on the menu. So, every year, we take a trip to Bisbee and make a reservation at Cafe Roka, to eat incredible vegan dishes. And these risotto cakes were to die for!

Of course, the chef didn't share his recipe, so I had to make up my own version based on the flavors and ingredients in this incredible risotto cake recipe.

By the way, if you ever make a trip to Bisbee, Arizona, also stop by The Old Bisbee Brewing Company, where they serve a great vegan chili.

Recipe Ingredients

• Arborio Rice: The oval grains are about a quarter of an inch long and typically white. Arborio rice is also available in brown (unrefined), but it's much more commonly sold as white rice, which is starchier.
• Red Onion: Red onions are colorful and spicy-to-mild flavor. Because of their bright color and crispy texture, they're great for risotto.
• Butternut Squash: Sweet, moist, and nutty tasting, the flavor of butternut squash is a bit like sweet potatoes—or, some say, butterscotch. Because it's so dense, you get more servings per fruit than you might with other squash varieties. The rind is edible (once cooked), but it's more commonly peeled away.
• Sage: Fresh sage has a pronounced herbal flavor that is an earthy, slightly peppery taste with hints of mint, eucalyptus, and lemon.
• White Wine: The white wine used when making risotto is because it lends flavor and a bit of acidity to the dish, which can help balance out its inherent richness. A big splash is added right after the rice is toasted and just before the primary cooking liquid, usually, broth, starts to get stirred in.
• Vegetable Broth: I always stock up on organic vegetable broth I buy at Costco.
• Parsley: Parsley adds a fresh flavor to the risotto cakes.
• Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeasts adds a thick cheesiness to the risotto.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic cooked with red onions creates a fabulous deep flavor.
• Lemon: I prefer fresh lemons whenever possible.

Recipe Ingredient Substitutions

• If you can't find Arborio rice, Baldo rice is a suitable replacement. Baldo rice is a starchy short-grain rice variety usually grown in Italy and Turkey. Or, try basmati rice.
• Try white or yellow onions instead of red onions. Or, try shallots.
• Sweet potatoes would be a good substitute if you can't find butternut squash, or try acorn squash.
• A general rule of thumb for the dried-to-fresh herb ratio: Use one-third the amount of dried herb for the fresh herb called for in the recipe. For example, if you're converting fresh sage to dried sage in a recipe that calls for 1 Tbsp. of fresh sage, use 1 tsp. of dried sage instead
• The best substitutes for white wine in risotto are – White Grape Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar, Vegetable Broth, Vegetable Stock, Lime or Lime Juice, Fruit Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, or Water.
• Basil is an excellent substitute for parsley in risotto cakes.
• One clove of fresh garlic equals ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic powder. The exact conversion applies to dehydrated or freeze-dried garlic or even minced refrigerated garlic.
• Use bottled lemon juice when fresh juice isn't available.

How to Make Risotto

• Saute the onion and garlic in a large pot on medium heat until the onions are translucent.
• Add cubes of butternut squash and season with salt and pepper.
• Stir occasionally until the squash is tender but not cooked all the way through (about 5 minutes).

• Add the Arborio rice and sage. Stir to combine, then add wine and cook 1 minute longer.

The key to making great risotto is to add the vegetable broth 1 cup at a time, after the first 2 cups are added, and simmer until the rice absorbs the broth.

• Add 2 cups of broth and bring to a simmer.
• Stir slightly; do not over-stir.
• Cook until the liquid evaporates(about 5 minutes).
• Then, add 1 cup of vegetable broth at a time and cook the same way until the rice is cooked and the fluid is absorbed.

• Continue to add the vegetable broth, 1 cup at a time, until all the vegetable broth is gone.
• Again, cook the mixture down until the liquid is absorbed.
• Do not over-stir the mixture.
• This process should take 10-15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
• Stir in parsley.

Now, you can eat the risotto in a bowl as an entree r as a side dish. Or, make risotto cakes.

How to Make Risotto Cakes

• To make the risotto cakes, spread the rice mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet, prepared with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Cover with plastic wrap or another cover of your choice.
• Allow cooling completely, then transfer to the refrigerator.
• For the best results, refrigerate the rice on the pan overnight or for at least 2 hours.

• Remove the chilled risotto from the refrigerator.
• Form small risotto cakes using a small burger press, or you can prepare risotto balls.
• Another option is to make large risotto cakes using the larger-sized mold to form 6.
• Or, use your hands to form 12 equal-sized cakes.

Cooking Options

I air-fried the risotto cakes because air frying takes only 8 minutes, but this risotto cake recipe can also be prepared in the oven.

Air frying

• Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
• Place the risotto cakes in a single layer on the air fry pan.
• If batch cooking, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat an oven to 325 degrees o keep the risotto cakes warm while cooking the remaining risotto cakes.
• Cook for 8 minutes until crispy.
• If making larger cakes, increase the time to 15 minutes.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cook for 20 minutes.
• If cooking larger cakes, cook for 35 minutes.

Curry Sauce Ingredients

• Lite Coconut Milk: Lite coconut milk, is essentially the two-percent milk of coconut milk. It's pretty much the opposite of coconut cream—it has less fat than regular coconut milk, and tends to be more watery-looking in the can.
• Fresh Ginger: Ginger is a spicy root that has proven to be an effective natural remedy for some common diseases.
• Red Curry Paste: I used Thai Kitchen brand red chili paste. Chili Paste is a spicy, fiery red condiment made using fresh or dried red chilies. Unlike chili sauce, it is dense in texture with intense taste and color.
• Shallot: Shallots have a delicate and sweet flavor with a hint of sharpness, while onions bring a more intense heat
• Lime Juice and Zest: When possible use fresh lime juice and zest for the best overall flavor.

Sauce Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of lite coconut milk, use unsweetened, unflavored plant milk of choice mixed with 1 teaspoon of coconut extract.
• For every ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, use 1 tablespoon of fresh-grated ginger in recipes. This works in the opposite direction as well. If you don't have any fresh ginger, you can substitute dried ground ginger using the same ratio.
• Chili paste and chili sauce are considered the same product by many people.
• Use the same amount of yellow, diced onion instead of shallots.
• When fresh lime juice isn't available, use bottled lime juice. Add an additional ½ teaspoon of lime juice to accommodate the zest.

• In a medium saucepan, combine grated ginger and shallots and saute until the shallots are translucent.
• Add the lime juice and zest from one lime and a pinch of salt.
• Stir, and then add coconut milk and red chili paste.
• The sauce thickens as it heats.

Serving Suggestions

I served risotto cakes with roasted broccolini and asparagus and drizzled curry sauce over teh top of the risotto cakes and the vegetables.

Or I also like this risotto cake recipe served on a bed of sauteed spinach and sauteed mushrooms.

For the best of both worlds, eat half of the risotto in a bowl as a meal, and use the leftovers to make risotto cakes.

And if there are any extras, prepare individual dishes that reheat quickly for a great weekday lunch.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Use short-grain rice. Short-grain rice "is built for" risotto.
• Know the texture you prefer. You don't want the rice gummy.
• Avoid overcooking.
• Don't rinse your rice! Risotto cooks better when the rice is not rinsed.
• Keep an eye on the temperature, and do not over-stir or overwork the rice.
• Stirring the rice constantly will add air to the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey. But the rice will stick to the bottom and burn if you don't stir enough. Agitating the rice is essential because risotto's creaminess comes from the starch generated when grains of rice rub against each other.

Try this risotto recipe in a bowl, or make risotto cakes. Regardless of how you choose to make this recipe, you will love it!

Other Suggested Vegan Italian Dishes

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