Herby Rice Croquettes

These beautiful rice croquettes are CREAMY, HERBY AND DELICIOUS! They are crispy on the outside and warm and luscious on the inside.

Do you like croquettes?! I LOVE croquettes, they are a classic meal in my country, although they are fried -not the healthiest food on the planet- and they are not vegan. I always enjoyed potato or cheese croquettes, but rice croquettes were always my favorite, they are so rich and delicious. Rice is combined with a thick bechamel sauce to make the most scrumptious filling.

I miss rice croquettes and I wanted to create a healthier vegan version. I tried veganizing my mom’s croquette recipe and after a lot of testing this is the one I like. For the bechamel I used extra virgin olive oil instead of butter and almond milk instead of regular milk. The result is so creamy and tasty. I then added some delicious herbs and a bit of nutritional yeast to the filling to make them super flavorful. And I air-fried them, to avoid all the extra oil, but you can shallow fry or deep fry your croquettes if you prefer them that way. THESE CRISPY BITES ARE A LOT HEALTHIER THAN THE ORIGINALS, 100% PLANT BASED AND STILL SO SATISFYING AND YUMMY.

I must admit though, they are not the quickest thing to prepare. They are super easy to make, but you need time. The filling needs to chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. But the wait is so worth it!

Croquettes can be a great appetizer or main meal (just add a side of veggies). I like to serve them with a warm marinara sauce or our Vegan Aquafaba Garlic Mayo. But they are delicious on their own too.

They are such a wonderful treat and I hope you love them as much as we do. If you try these Herby Rice Croquettes, let us know what you think, leave a comment or tag us on Instagram @mondaydreamsblog. We love hearing from you!

HERBY RICE CROQUETTES

These Herby Rice Croquettes are crispy on the outside and rich, creamy and delicious on the inside. They are healthier than the original version and they are vegan, hearty and bursting with so much flavor.

Servings 12 croquettes

Ingredients

CROQUETTES:

1 cup rice – brown rice or white rice*
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
¾ - 1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
½ - 2/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
Olive oil for cooking optional

THICK BECHAMEL:

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
3 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ tsp sea salt
Big pinch nutmeg

TO SERVE

Your favorite marinara sauce
Our Vegan Aquafaba Garlic Mayo

Instructions

Cook the rice according to instructions. Drain and allow to dry and cool down.
While the rice is cooking, make the bechamel.
Add almond milk and tapioca starch to a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup (ideally, it should be something with a spout for easy pouring). Whisk vigorously until combined. Set aside until needed.
In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add flour and cook for a minute or two, always stirring.
Add milk and tapioca starch mixture, a bit at a time. Always whisking so that it’s smooth and lump free.
Continue stirring for a couple of minutes until the sauce gets super thick and stretchy. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add sea salt and nutmeg. Stir, taste and adjust seasonings.
Transfer the bechamel to a big bowl and cool down.
Add rice, nutritional yeast, sea salt and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Take the filling out of the fridge and add fresh herbs. Stir to combine.
Shape the mixture into 12 small/medium balls. If it’s the mixture is too sticky, wet your hands, it really helps.
Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl, dip the croquettes and roll to coat. Press to pack and roll through breadcrumbs one more time.
Preheat the air fryer to 350 F / 180 C.
Spray the croquettes with olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket in a single row, leaving some space between them. You might need to fry the croquettes in 2 or 3 batches. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes; or until golden and crispy. You can also shallow fry or deep fry your croquettes.
Serve these Herby Rice Croquettes warm with your favorite sauce. I love to serve them with a yummy marinara sauce or our delicious Vegan Aquafaba Garlic Mayo.
Enjoy!

Notes

*I use brown rice, it’s got that fiber your gut needs to thrive (and a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals). But if you prefer a super lush and creamy filling, white rice is the way to go. Brown rice has the bran, it’s got a harder exterior and you’ll notice that in the filling. I love that rougher, full-bodied texture and the taste is still amazing, but if you like a creamier/smoother consistency make your croquettes with white rice.

Gaby

Next Peach-Ginger Overnight Oats »

Previous « Easy Pickled Cucumber