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    Home » Rice Recipes

    Leftover Rice Fritters | Simple Leftover Rice Recipe

    Published: Nov 10, 2016 · Modified: Jan 22, 2023 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Leftover Rice Fritters or Indian Pakoras are crispy and crunchy, irresistibly delicious, easy-to-make snack recipes prepared in less than 30 minutes. These rice patties are one of the best ways to use any leftover cooked rice. The recipe is customizable, vegan, and gluten-free. 

    best and easy leftover rice fritters, Indian pakora snack with rice, croquettes, patties

    Jump to:
    • Best Leftover Rice Recipes 
    • Rice fritters (patties, pakoras, croquettes)
    • Ingredients
    • How to make leftover rice fritters 
    • Pro Tips
    • Recipe card
    • User Reviews

    Best Leftover Rice Recipes 

    Are you worried about what to do with leftover rice? Here is a quick and simple solution that I follow in my kitchen. If it is a weekday and I have leftovers, I generally love to prepare quick rice recipes South Indian style for breakfast and also pack it for my lunch box. 

    Some of my favorite leftover rice recipes for breakfast and lunch box are : 

    • Lemon rice (chitranna) - popular South Indian Breakfast recipe
    • Coconut rice
    • Curd rice
    • Lemon pepper rice
    • Indo Chinese fried rice
    • Rice kheer or pudding
    • Baked fried rice

    You can have these fritters (patties) any time of the day. But if it is weekends, then I reserve the rice to prepare a side for lunch or as a snack for tea. I sometimes refer to this dish as rice pakoras (pakodas) or croquettes.

    Rice fritters (patties, pakoras, croquettes)

    Rice fritters are crispy and crunchy on the outside and so tasty that you will not even wait for any leftover rice. Simply cook fresh rice, cool it, and prepare the recipe 🙂 These fritters or rice croquettes can be great finger food for upcoming tailgating events, game nights, potluck, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas holiday parties!

    I have kept my recipe very simple. A very flexible recipe where you can add any spices of your choice if desired. For more chatpata Indian flavor, you can add chat masala, garam masala, black salt, and/or any other spices. For western flavors, add garlic powder, basil leaves, parsley, bread crumbs, etc.

     I prepare this frequently, so I have shared some more tips at the end that might be useful to you.

    simple recipe with leftover rice, Indian snacks, Asian, Japanese, Korean recipes with leftover rice

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups Leftover rice
    • ½ Onion, finely chopped
    • ½ inch Ginger, grated
    • 2 Garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
    • 1 Green chile or Jalapeno, finely chopped
    • 1 to 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon Red chile powder or Cayenne powder
    • 2 tablespoon Corn starch (check tips for substitute)
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons Chopped nuts (cashews or peanuts)
    • Salt, to taste
    • Vegetable oil for frying

    How to make leftover rice fritters 

    • Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium flame for frying. See that atleast 40 - 50 percent of the pan is filled with oil.
    • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (rice, onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander leaves, red chile powder, cornstarch, cashew nuts, and salt), mash, and mix well. Sprinkle some water if needed so that it is able to hold its shape. Read the tips below. (Taste and adjust salt and spiciness accordingly) 
    • Now make fritters of the desired shape and keep them aside.
    • Once the oil is hot, drop patties or fritters in oil about 7 to 8, depending on the size of your pan. Leave this undisturbed for about 2 - 3 minutes on medium flame.
    • Then using a slotted spoon, separate any fritters that may be sticking to each other, and then flip them in oil occasionally to fry them till they are crispy and golden brown on all sides.
    • Transfer them to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for the remaining mixture.
    • Serve hot, and enjoy.
    crispy and crunchy fritters or pakoras or croquettes with leftover rice, vegetarian snacks

    Pro Tips

    • The juices released from the onion were sufficient to form a nice mixture.
    • If your mixture is too dry, add water little by little to form a stiff mashed mix.
    • If your mixture is too thin, then add additional cornstarch (or rice flour or all-purpose flour) if desired.
    • Vary the amount of red chili powder as per your taste.
    • You can also substitute corn starch with all-purpose flour/maida.
    • To check if the oil is hot, add a small piece of the mixture. Check if it sizzles and comes up immediately.
    • If the oil is too hot, your fritters will brown faster on the outside and will remain uncooked inside. If it is cold, then it will absorb excess oil. The best practice is to fry them between medium and medium-high flame.
    • Do not overcrowd the pan. This may make your fritters break and absorb oil.
    • Total frying time may be about 8 - 10 minutes. However, this may depend on the size of your pan, number of fritters, flame, amount of oil, and so on.

    Recipe card

    leftover rice fritters, simple easy recipe with leftover rice, croquettes, patties, cakes, pakora

    Leftover Rice Fritters | Easy Leftover Rice Recipe

    Kushi
    Leftover Rice Fritters or Indian Pakoras are crispy and crunchy, irresistibly delicious, easy-to-make snack recipes prepared in less than 30 minutes. These rice patties are one of the best ways to use any leftover cooked rice. The recipe is customizable, vegan, and gluten-free. 
    4.89 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 16 minutes mins
    Total Time 26 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, snacks
    Cuisine Asian, Indian, Italian, Japanese, korean
    Servings 16
    Calories 32 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Heavy bottomed pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups Leftover rice
    • ½ Onion, finely chopped
    • ½ inch Ginger, grated
    • 2 Garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
    • 1 Green chile or Jalapeno, finely chopped
    • 1 to 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon Red chile powder or Cayenne powder
    • 2 tablespoon Corn starch (check tips for substitute)
    • 1 to 2 tablespoon Chopped nuts (cashews or peanuts)
    • Salt, to taste
    • Vegetable oil for frying

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium flame for frying. See that atleast 40 - 50 percent of the pan is filled with oil.
      Vegetable oil for frying
    • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (rice, onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander leaves, red chile powder, cornstarch, cashew nuts, and salt), mash, and mix well. Sprinkle some water if needed so that it is able to hold its shape. Read the tips below. (Taste and adjust salt and spiciness accordingly)
      1 ½ cups Leftover rice, ½ Onion, finely chopped, ½ inch Ginger, grated, 2 Garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped, 1 Green chile or Jalapeno, finely chopped, 1 to 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro finely chopped, ½ teaspoon Red chile powder or Cayenne powder, 2 tablespoon Corn starch, 1 to 2 tablespoon Chopped nuts, Salt, to taste
    • Now make fritters of the desired shape and keep them aside.
    • Once the oil is hot, drop patties or fritters in oil about 7 to 8, depending on the size of your pan. Leave this undisturbed for about 2 - 3 minutes on medium flame.
    • Then using a slotted spoon, separate any fritters that may be sticking to each other, and then flip them in oil occasionally to fry them till they are crispy and golden brown on all sides.
    • Transfer them to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for the remaining mixture.
    • Serve hot, and enjoy.

    Notes

    • The juices released from the onion were sufficient to form a nice mixture.
    • If your mixture is too dry, add water little by little to form a stiff mashed mix.
    • If your mixture is too thin, then add additional cornstarch (or rice flour or all-purpose flour) if desired.
    • Vary the amount of red chili powder as per your taste.
    • You can also substitute corn starch with all-purpose flour/maida.
    • To check if the oil is hot, add a small piece of the mixture. Check if it sizzles and comes up immediately.
    • If the oil is too hot, your fritters will brown faster on the outside and will remain uncooked inside. If it is cold, then it will absorb excess oil. The best practice is to fry them between medium and medium-high flame.
    • Do not overcrowd the pan. This may make your fritters break and absorb oil.
    • Total frying time may be about 8 - 10 minutes. However, this may depend on the size of your pan, number of fritters, flame, amount of oil, and so on.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 32kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 64mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 169IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    best and easy leftover rice fritters, recipe with leftover rice, pakora, patties, croquettes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sharmila- The Happie friends potpourri corner

      November 11, 2016 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      That is soo awesome.. Love it to the core!!

      Reply
      • Kushi

        November 15, 2016 at 12:29 am

        Thank you Sharmila 🙂

        Reply
    2. Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen

      November 11, 2016 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      These fritters look so nice and crisp, Kushi. What a fun and delicious way of using leftover rice.

      Reply
      • Kushi

        November 15, 2016 at 12:29 am

        Thank you Anu 🙂

        Reply
    3. Anu

      November 12, 2016 at 3:32 am

      Looks crispy!!

      Reply
      • Kushi

        November 15, 2016 at 12:30 am

        Thank you Anu 🙂

        Reply
    4. Urmila

      November 15, 2016 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      These were sinfully crispy and Yum! loved it khushi

      Reply
      • Kushi

        November 15, 2016 at 11:05 am

        Thank you Urmila 🙂

        Reply
    5. Linda Bartlett

      May 03, 2025 at 9:36 pm

      4 stars
      Cornstarch amount wasn’t enough but only because I used basmati rice so added a bit more chickpea flour and that helped heaps. Great taste and use of the leftover rice.

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    4.89 from 9 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Sridevi! I am a Software Engineer by qualification, a full-time Food Blogger by passion, a self-published Author, and a happy person two kids (monsters) ago.

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