Crispy, cheesy Venezuelan rice fritters made in the air fryer with leftover rice. Torticas de arroz con queso are quick, easy, and perfect as a snack or side dish anyone can make.
Venezuelan Air Fryer Leftover Rice Fritters with Cheese
Got leftover rice? You may be dreading using that leftover rice as part of your dinnertonight, just because plain rice can seem so BORING! I actually quite love some simple white rice, though the caveat is that it really has to be paired with something DELICIOUS! If I’ve got some North Indian Dum Aloo or Dal Makhani, then the rice is exciting! When you don’t have those on the table… Well, it’s less appealing.
22 min
8 fritters
easy
Venezuelan Air Fryer Leftover Rice Fritters With Cheese
If you don’t have the time to make a lavish dinner to go with your rice, then that’s totally understandable! On the other hand, I understand that there’s still the need to finish up what you have in your fridge. As I mention in my free guide to explore your potential in the kitchen and get motivated to get creative, Make Cooking Fun!, using what you have on hand can be an excellent source of inspiration to try something new! In this recipe, we’ll use leftover rice as the centrepiece, but it won’t be boring! Instead, these Venezuelan rice fritters will be crunchy and addictive! These fantastic snacks are vegetarian and gluten-free. Typically, they’re shallow-fried, but we’ll be using the air fryer to avoid the extra grease and make them a little healthier.
We’re also striking a two-in-one here by exploring a new cuisine! I’ve never tried Venezuelan food, and every month I love to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone and try a dish from a destination unseen. If Venezuela is also a destination unseen for you, then preparing these super easyand fastcheesy rice fritters in the air fryer as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge is an awesome way to explore this amazing cuisine! You can get started on your cooking journey for free today by signing up to my email newsletter, plus all of my latest recipes will be delivered straight to your email inbox.
Be sure to watch the video to follow along with how to prepare this super simple and really delicious Venezuelan snack with the help of the air fryer! I’d also really appreciate it if you could please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already, and be sure to hit the bell button to be notified when all my latest video recipes go live! Let's get air frying!
Questions You May Have!
What Air Fryer Do You Recommend?▼
I’m using the Cosori Air Fryer 6 Quart 9-in-1 air fryer to make these Venezuelan cheesy rice fritters. The previous air fryer I owned was the Ninja Dual Basket 6-in-1 air fryer. However, not too long after I purchased my air fryer, one of the baskets stopped working. Sadly, this defeats the entire purpose of the air fryer, so I didn’t have a choice but to get rid of it. For more information on what happened to my Ninja air fryer, check out this video.
The good news is that my Cosori air fryer has been good to me so far, and I’ve had it for nearly a year now! I like this one because it’s got a fairly large basket, which can fit in quite a bit of food. Another benefit of this air fryer is that it’s not too noisy. If you’d like more information about this air fryer, check outthis video where I do an in-depth review of my overall impressions and review the different settings this air fryer has to offer!
What Cheese Should I Use For Venezuelan Leftover Rice Fritters?▼
Typically, white cheese is used for this recipe. I know that’s a vague term, and that’s because there are plenty of suitable cheeses you can use! I’ll be using white cheddar here, but you could also use Queso Blanco, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack. If you’re lucky enough to have the authentic choice, then you could use Venezuelan Llanero-style cheese!
Can THese AIr Fryer Leftover Rice Fritters Be Made With Brown Rice?▼
Yes, if that’s what you have that’s leftover then feel free to use it! Rice is still rice at the end of the day, and there will be starch in there to form patties mixed with the binding ingredients. You should be good to go, just expect a much different taste and texture compared to making these with white rice.
What if the Ingredients in the Mixture Aren’t Mixing?▼
This actually happened to me when I was preparing these! I noticed that every single grain of rice was separated, and I was unable to form patties. The solution here is super simple - you either need more glue, which is the cheese! Adding about another quarter cup of cheese really made the difference here, so adjust as you need until you’ve got a smooth and homogenous mixture, where the rice is completely blended with the other components.
Or you need to really firmly squeeze that rice as you mix it to mash just enough together to help everything stick together. Once I mixed everything really well together and mashed the rice with my fists, the extra cheese along with the softer stickier rice texture gave me enough body to form patties.
What if The Mixture is Too Loose?▼
If the mixture is too loose, then you can add more rice if you have it to make the mixture more cohesive. If you’ve used up all of your leftover rice, then you can use breadcrumbs. To keep the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
What if the Mixture Too Dry?▼
On the other hand, if your mixture is too dry and clumpy, then you can add extra egg. Add a little bit of a whisked egg a time to ensure that you don’t end up with the mixture becoming too wet.
How do I Serve Torticas de Arroz con Queso?▼
These leftover rice fritters are pretty good on their own, but if you’re looking for some added flavour, then you can’t go wrong with a good dip! I couldn’t find what the authentic choices for dip selection is, but if you want my opinion, then I would suggest the following:
Ingredients for Air Fryer Torticas De Arroz Con Queso
We’ve got a pretty short ingredient list here, which makes this Venezuelan leftover rice fritters recipe the perfect snack to make on any occasion! Scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD, or press the “Jump to Recipe” button to save the recipe for later and scale the recipe based on how much leftover rice you have on hand! By default, this recipe will yield 8 fritters.
Rice: Day old rice is the best because it will be easier to shape and crisp up better. Furthermore, I’m using basmati rice. For best results, I suggest you use a long grain white rice. If you’re looking for tips and tricks on how to make the best basmati rice with every grain fluffy and separated, check out this guide!
Cheese: Usually white cheddar is used, and that’s what we’ll be using here! Other options include queso
Egg: One large egg will act as a binding agent for all the ingredients and allow the fritters to hold their shape.
Onion: Probably not authentic at all, but I wanted a little extra flavor here. I’ve finely diced red onion.
Cilantro: Adds a bit of freshness and pop of color to the fritters.
Olive oil: A few sprays will help the fritters cook evenly and give them a wonderful golden brown colour on the outside.
How to Make Air Fryer Venezuelan Rice Fritters with Cheese
Preheat the air fryer to 375 F.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except for olive oil. Mix well until you’ve achieved a smooth texture. Make sure to mash ingredients well as you mix them to allow everything to stick together just enough to form the patties.
Then form small balls, about 2-3 inches in diameter and then pat them lightly to flatten them into thick patties.
Place the fritters onto the tray in your air fryer basket. Ensure there is enough space between each fritter to allow them to expand. Spray the tops generously with olive oil. Set the air fryer to the “Air Fry” mode, and set the cook time for 16 minutes.
After about 6 minutes, gently flip the fritters over and spray the other side with olive oil. Then, continue cooking. After about another 6 minutes, flip again and finish cooking.
Remove the fritters from the air fryer and place them on a plate for serving.
Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks for Amazing Leftover Rice Fritters
Preheat the air fryer: Preheating the air fryer is a step you shouldn’t skip! This ensures the air fryer gets to the desired temperature, and cook times will be consistent, just as you preheat an oven.
Wear gloves: Wearing gloves will make shaping the fritters a much easier process. However, if you don’t have gloves, then be sure to spray your hands with olive oil so the cheese and rice fritter mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.
Mash well: Don’t just mix—mash. As you combine the ingredients, firmly squeeze the rice with your hands to slightly break up the grains. This releases starch and helps everything bind.
Shape the fritters small: We’re going to shape the fritters smaller than we would if were to shallow fry them as you do in the classic recipe. This is because they’ll expand as they cook in the air fryer.
Space out the fritters: Ensure to space out the fritters when you place them in the air fryer basket because as mentioned in the previous tip, they will expand as they cook in the air fryer.
Spray with olive oil: A few sprays on each side will give that perfect crisp.
Can You Cook Leftover Rice Fritters in An Air Fryer In Advance?▼
Yes, they definitely can be prepared in advance, so that means there’s no worries if there’s leftovers - though of course nothing beats the taste of when they’re piping hot and fresh! See below on how to store and reheat your Venezuelan Torticas de Arroz con Queso below!
Storage Instructions
You can store your extra Venezuelan rice fritters with cheese in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend you eat them within 3 to 4 days to ensure they’re the best quality and avoid them from getting soggy.
Freezing
You can certainly freeze your torticas de arroz con queso if you can’t finish them within 3 to 4 days, or you just want to make a big batch to always have a crunchy snack on hand! Allow the fritters cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat Venezuelan Leftover Rice Fritters with Cheese▼
All you need to do is place them back in your air fryer and set the mode to “Reheat.” Allow the fritters to reheat for about 5 minutes or until entirely warmed through. If you’re reheating frozen torticas de arroz con queso, then there’s no need to allow them to thaw prior - you can simply put them right in the air fryer! The reheating time will just take a bit longer.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Venezuelan Air Fryer Leftover Rice Fritters With Cheese
Crispy, cheesy Venezuelan rice fritters made in the air fryer with leftover rice. Torticas de arroz con queso are quick, easy, and perfect as a snack or side dish anyone can make.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except for olive oil. Mix well until you’ve achieved a smooth texture. Make sure to mash ingredients well as you mix them to allow everything to stick together just enough to form the patties.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except for olive oil. Mix well until you’ve achieved a smooth texture. Make sure to mash ingredients well as you mix them to allow everything to stick together just enough to form the patties.
3
Then form small balls, about 2-3 inches in diameter and then pat light lightly to flatten them into thick patties.
Then form small balls, about 2-3 inches in diameter and then pat light lightly to flatten them into thick patties.
4
Place the fritters onto the tray in your air fryer basket. Ensure there is enough space between each fritter to allow them to expand. Spray the tops generously with olive oil. Set the air fryer to the “Air Fry” mode, and set the cook time for 16 minutes.
Place the fritters onto the tray in your air fryer basket. Ensure there is enough space between each fritter to allow them to expand. Spray the tops generously with olive oil. Set the air fryer to the “Air Fry” mode, and set the cook time for 16 minutes.
5
After about 6 minutes, gently flip the fritters over and spray the other side with olive oil. Then, continue cooking. After about another 6 minutes, flip again and finish cooking.
After about 6 minutes, gently flip the fritters over and spray the other side with olive oil. Then, continue cooking. After about another 6 minutes, flip again and finish cooking.
6
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Nutrition per serving
244
Calories
9g
Protein
31g
Carbs
9g
Fat
0g
Fiber
0g
Sugar
434mg
Sodium
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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
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