Tomato Rice Balls
Tomato rice balls are a crispy vegetarian snack made from cooked rice, tomato purée, sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil, bound with egg and coated in breadcrumbs. The Thermomix TM7 chops the basil, grates the cheese and blends the mixture evenly, giving every ball the same rich tomato flavour. Ideal as a party snack or lunchbox treat.
About this recipe
Tomato rice balls Thermomix TM7 style are the ultimate way to turn leftover cooked rice into golden, crispy snacks that disappear within minutes at any party. If you have been searching for rice ball recipes for your all-in-one kitchen machine, this one shows exactly why the TM7 earns its place on your worktop: it chops the fresh basil in seconds, grates the cheese finely so it melts into the filling, and blends rice, tomato purée, egg and sun dried tomatoes into a uniform mixture that shapes cleanly between your palms. The result is a savoury vegetarian snack with a tangy tomato heart, a fragrant basil note and a crunchy breadcrumb shell. Serve these balls warm as a starter, pack them cold into lunchboxes, or pile them onto a party platter with a dipping sauce. They also make a clever meat-free option for children who claim to dislike rice, because everything is hidden inside a crispy, bite-sized ball.
Preparation tips
- Use cold, day-old cooked rice rather than freshly cooked rice, as it is drier and makes the tomato ball mixture firmer and much easier to roll without sticking to your hands.
- Chill the shaped rice balls in the fridge for about half an hour before coating them in breadcrumbs, so they hold their round shape and the basil and sun dried tomato filling does not leak out during frying.
- For a child-friendly version, finely chop the sun dried tomatoes so no large pieces remain, and let kids roll the balls themselves; the breadcrumb coating keeps little hands relatively clean and makes them proud of the result.
Recipe variations
- Gluten-free variation: replace the wheat breadcrumbs with gluten-free panko or crushed gluten-free crackers, and check that the sun dried tomatoes are packed in gluten-free oil; the balls stay just as crispy outside.
- Festive variation: add a small cube of mozzarella or goat cheese to the centre of each ball so it melts into a gooey surprise, and roll them in a mix of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan for an extra savoury party coating.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- The TM7 grates the cheese finely in seconds, so it melts evenly through every tomato rice ball.
- Fresh basil is chopped by the Thermomix uniformly, releasing its aroma without bruising the delicate leaves.
- Grinding the breadcrumbs in the mixing bowl gives a fresh, coarse coating that sticks better than store-bought crumbs.
- The Thermomix blends rice, tomato purée and egg into a uniform mixture, making the balls easy to shape by hand.
- The TM7 weighs the breadcrumbs and rice directly in the bowl, saving you from extra measuring cups and washing up.
Ingredients
- medium egg
- salt
- ground black pepper
- fresh basil
- sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- tomato purée
- breadcrumbs
- cooked rice
- cheese
- vegetable oil