Crispy Rice Cakes
In this vegan spin on viral crispy rice, the rice cakes are topped with avocado and spicy “tuna” made with tomatoes. Perfect for a party!
Ingredients
For the Crispy Rice Cakes:
- 1 cup sushi rice 200 grams
- 1 ¼ cups water 300 milliliters
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 30 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup 5 milliliters
- ½ teaspoon salt 2 grams
- Neutral oil for frying like avocado or canola – as needed
Topping:
- 1 large ripe tomato peeled and finely diced – about 100 grams
- 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise 15 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili paste 5 milliliters
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce 2.5 milliliters
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil 2.5 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion 2 grams, plus more for garnish
- 1 ripe avocado thinly sliced
Instructions
Cook and Chill the Rice:
- Rinse the sushi rice thoroughly until water runs clear.
- In a pot, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, keep covered for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Fold gently into warm rice.
- Line a square 8 inch pan with parchment paper. Press the rice into a flat, even layer about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. Make sure to press firmly.
- Chill for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to cut.
Shape and Fry the Rice Cakes:
- Cut the chilled rice into 15 rectangles or squares.
- Heat neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Fry rice pieces for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Make the Spicy Tomato “Tuna”:
- Blanch the tomato for 30 seconds in boiling water, then peel and finely dice.
- In a bowl, mix the tomato with vegan mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onion.
Assemble the cakes:
- Top each rice cake with 2-3 slices of avocado.
- Spoon a generous dollop of the spicy tomato “tuna” mixture on top of the avocado.
- Garnish with additional chopped green onion.
- Serve immediately for the best texture.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Because of the fresh avocado, these crispy rice cakes are best eaten right after assembling. If you do have leftovers, they’ll last a day or so in the refrigerator, but the avocado will brown a bit.
- To reheat: Rather than reheating them, I simply eat them cold, but if you want to warm up the rice cakes, I suggest scraping off the toppings, reheating in a nonstick skillet to re-crisp the rice, and then adding the toppings back.
Nutrition
Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg