Baked Rice Balls with Chipotle Sour Cream

These oven Baked Rice Balls are a great gluten free appetizer! They're crispy, cheesy, and served with chipotle sour cream for dipping.

These Cheesy Rice Balls are made with fresh herbs, coated in a spiced breadcrumb mixture, and baked until crispy. They're dipped into a creamy Southwest chipotle sauce and perfect for parties!

This recipe is inspired by Italian arancini - Arancini are rice balls that are stuffed, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried until crispy. They're usually served with tomato or marinara sauce for dipping.

These rice balls put a Southwest twist on that classic Italian dish. They're flavored with spices like garlic, onion, and smoked paprika and dipped into a spicy, smoky chipotle dipping sauce.

The rice balls are baked in the oven instead of fried, making them easier to prepare and a bit healthier than a deep-fried version. They can be made using freshly prepared rice, or from any leftover rice you've got hanging out in your refrigerator.

This makes a great party appetizer for holidays or parties any time of the year!

Jump to:

• What Type Of Rice Is Best?
• Ingredients For Baked Rice Balls
• How To Make Rice Balls
• How To Get Rice Balls To Stick Together
• How Long Do They Take To Bake?
• How To Make Chipotle Sour Cream
• What To Serve With Chipotle Rice Balls
• How Long Do Rice Balls Last In The Fridge?
• Can They Be Frozen?
• Baked Rice Balls with Chipotle Sour Cream

What Type Of Rice Is Best?

There are many varieties of rice balls found in cuisines all around the world. You can find a version of rice balls everywhere from Japanese to Korean to Italian cuisine.

If making Japanese rice balls, sushi rice is the best option. Arborio rice is often used to make Italian arancini.

These Baked Rice Balls are not reflective of any particular cuisine and can be made using any type of rice you like. I love a good quality Jasmine rice, but any rice you have on hand works just fine.

You can make rice from scratch, or use any leftover rice you have on hand to make them.

Keep in mind that these rice balls are not going to be as 'light, fluffy, and moist' as a traditional arancini, because this is a low maintenance recipe that serves as a casual party bite.

Ingredients For Baked Rice Balls

Here's what you'll need to make them.

• 2 cups Uncooked Jasmine Rice (yields cups cooked rice) (can use leftover rice instead)
• 3 cups Vegetable Broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or cheese of choice) (shredded)
• ¼ cup Minced Chives (or herbs of choice)
• 6 Eggs (split)
• 1 tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
• 1 ½ Gluten Free Breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs if not gluten free)
• 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
• Cooking Spray
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 2 Tbsp. Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• 2 ½ Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• ½ tsp. Sugar

How To Make Rice Balls

The first step to making these rice balls is to cook the rice. As mentioned, I used Mahatma Jasmine Rice to make this recipe, but you can use any variety of rice you like.

You can also use leftover cooked rice if that's what you have on hand.

The rice needs to cool before it's formed into balls, so it can be made ahead of time if you prefer. This will give it plenty of time to cool.

Cooking times and amounts may vary depending on the type of rice used. Be sure to check the package instructions to ensure the best results when cooking rice.

1. Pour 3 cups of vegetable broth (or chicken broth) into a sauce pan and place it on the stove top. Bring the broth to a boil.
2. Add 2 cups of Jasmine rice and reduce the heat to a simmer. 2 cups of dried Jasmine rice yields 6 cups cooked rice.
3. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Cook the rice just until al dente, or it may become mushy.
4. Once the rice is cooked, pour it onto a sheet pan or into a large bowl and allow to cool completely.
5. Stir the rice every 5 minutes, so that it cools evenly. This may take 30 minutes or so.

It's important that the rice is cool, so that the eggs don't cook when added to it. Cooling the rice will also make it easier to handle when forming it into balls.

1. While the rice is cooling, shred 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice).
2. Mince ¼ cup fresh chives (or fresh herbs of choice).
3. Once the rice has cooled, place it in a large mixing bowl.
4. To the rice add 3 eggs, 1 ½ cups shredded cheese, ¼ cup minced chives, and ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper.
5. Stir until all the ingredients are completely combined.

Feel free to sub sharp cheddar cheese for any shredded cheese you like. Fontina, mozzarella, Monterrey Jack, or Pepper Jack are all great choices.

You can sub the fresh chives for fresh cilantro or parsley if you prefer. Alternately, you can use dried herbs in place of fresh if that's what you have on hand. Use 2 Tbsp. dried herbs in place of fresh herbs.

How To Get Rice Balls To Stick Together

The process of forming the rice balls and getting them to stick together properly is a little tricky and somewhat messy, so it's important to be patient when making them.

The rice mixture is first formed into balls using your hands. The rice balls are first dunked into an egg mixture and then rolled in a spiced breadcrumb mixture.

The rice balls are placed onto a baking sheet, coated in cooking spray, and baked until crispy on the outside.

I recommend lining up everything you'll need ahead of time, so that you can prepare them in a sort of assembly line. This will help to keep things organized and minimize messiness.

1. The first step is to place 3 eggs in a bowl and whisk until completely combined.
2. In a second bowl, add 1 ½ cups gluten free breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs if not gluten free), 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. each onion powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder, and ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined.
3. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop a handful of the rice mixture from the bowl and form it into a ball with your hands. Press it together firmly until it forms a ball.
4. Dip the rice ball into the whisked eggs.
5. Once the rice ball is coated in the egg mixture, place it in the breadcrumb mixture and roll around until completely coated.
6. Place the coated rice ball on a sheet pan.
7. Repeat with the remainder of the rice. For best results, dip your fingers into a small bowl of water before forming each rice ball. This will help to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands and allow it to more easily form a ball.

How Long Do They Take To Bake?

This recipe yields 18-20 rice balls.

You may need more than one sheet pan, depending on the size of sheet pan used.

1. To bake the rice balls, start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Thoroughly spray the rice balls with a cooking spray. This will prevent them from sticking to the pan and help them to become crispy as they bake.
3. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. The breadcrumb coating should become golden brown as it bakes. The cheese may melt a bit and as they cook.
4. Remove the baking sheets from the oven once they're finished cooking.

How To Make Chipotle Sour Cream

One of the best things about rice balls of any kind is the dipping sauce that often accompanies them.

This Southwest version is served with a chipotle sour cream for dipping. It's tangy, spicy, and smoky.

This creamy chipotle sauce is easy to make and can be prepared while the rice balls are baking in the oven.

1. To make the chipotle sour cream, simply add 1 cup sour cream, 2 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. chipotle in adobo, 1 tsp. sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper.
2. Stir until completely combined.

Chipotle in adobo is jalapeno peppers that are dried, smoked, and packed in a flavorful, tangy, and spicy tomato sauce. They can be found in the Mexican aisle of your local grocery store.

To make this chipotle sour cream, you can use the sauce found in a can of chipotle in adobo (for less heat), or you can mince the chipotle peppers and add them along with the sauce (for more heat).

If you find the chipotle sour cream to be too spicy, simply add a bit more sugar to help balance out the spice level.

What To Serve With Chipotle Rice Balls

Once the rice balls are cooled they're ready to serve!

Feel free to garnish these rice balls with some extra chopped herbs and sprinkle on some extra salt if you feel like they need it.

They're great paired with the smoky and spicy chipotle sour cream. I love to serve them on a platter with a bowl of it.

You can serve them with any type of dipping sauce you like. You can't go wrong with a chipotle ranch dressing.

If you'd like more dipping sauce options, be sure to check out this homemade ranch dressing, chunky blue cheese dressing, spicy Thousand Island dressing, and creamy lemon tarragon sauce.

Looking for more party appetizers? Don't miss these!

• Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
• Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings
• Slow Cooker BBQ Turkey Meatballs
• Crockpot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

How Long Do Rice Balls Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover rice balls may be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Be sure to allow the rice balls to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Any leftover chipotle dipping sauce should last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Keep in mind that the rice balls will dry out a bit the longer they are stored in the fridge.

Can They Be Frozen?

Yes, the rice balls can be frozen. I do not recommend freezing the chipotle sour cream, it's best to prepare that right before serving.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the rice balls as directed (without the chipotle sour cream).
2. Allow them to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
3. Once cool, place the rice balls in a heavy-duty freezer bag, label with the date, and store up to 3 months.

How To Reheat

1. Transfer the frozen rice ball to the fridge and allow to thaw for 24 hours before reheating.
2. Reheat the rice balls in the oven by placing them on a sheet pan in an oven heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook just until heated through.
3. Alternately, you can reheat them in the microwave just until heated through.

Love appetizers? Check out these recipes!

• Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets
• Smoked Salmon Dill Crostini
• Smoky Baba Ghanoush
• Spiced Maple Roasted Nuts
• Kalamata Olive Tapenade
• Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
• Gruyere Prosciutto Pinwheels

Looking For More Party Appetizers? Don't Miss These!

Homemade Adobo Guacamole

Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

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