Stanley Tucci’s Risotto Cakes May Be Our Favorite Thing Ever

Stanley Tucci has become a culinary sensation. And, rightfully so. From Tucci’s favorite sandwich and all kinds of classic Italian dishes he samples while traveling across Italy, the award-winning icon guides us through a world of food.

If you were heartbroken like I was when Searching For Italy was canceled—streaming it on Max is amazing, but I miss the new episodes—and have already gotten through his cookbooks (shoutout to The Tucci Table), here’s an effective alternative: Tucci’s TikTok.

Time and again, the star indulges us with gems of Italian cuisine on social media. Unsurprisingly, these endearing—and often, viral—videos are genius. This brilliance includes Tucci’s tips for mastering risotto cakes, which, weeks later, we are still obsessed with. I mean, Stanley Tucci made them, so how can we not be?

What is a risotto cake made of?

Risotto cakes are made with leftover risotto. As Tucci says, “I made risotto the other night, which I didn’t eat. So I turned it into risotto cakes.” Any way to savor more risotto is a recipe that has my attention.
If you want to make a risotto first, try Ina Garten’s risotto recipe. It is easy to make with a heavenly taste. Or you can also try your hand at her summer garden pasta’s recipe.

Is it OK to eat leftover risotto?

Yes, it’s OK to eat leftover risotto. Especially when it can be used to create another mouthwatering recipe like this one! Risotto can be stored for as long as 5 days in the refrigerator, unless it’s a meat risotto, which should only stick around for 3 days.

How to Make Stanley Tucci’s Risotto Cakes

@stanley.tucciRisotto cakes♬ original sound – Stanley Tucci

Ingredients

• Leftover risotto
• 2 eggs
• Cheese
• Salt
• Panko bread crumbs
• Fresh bread crumbs
• Regular olive oil (Tucci says not to use extra virgin olive oil)
• Vegetable oil

Directions

Tucci doesn’t give us any exact measurements when it comes to making this recipe. However, he does walk us through his process.

“What I’ve done,” he begins before motioning to the contents. “This is what it looks like,” he says as he raises a glass bowl full of the risotto mixture to the camera. The actor explains that he put panko bread crumbs into the eggs and mixed them prior to throwing in “a little extra cheese, a little extra salt,” (estimate what “a little” means to your liking). He then mixes that into homemade bread crumbs to create the ultimate bread crumb mixture.

That’s right, Tucci mixes panko and homemade bread crumbs. This concoction is met with Tucci’s “mmm, mmm, mmm” noise of approval. He rolls the risotto into mini cakes and coats them with the bread crumb mixture. Then he cooks them in regular olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil) and vegetable oil in a large pan.

The final result? Crisp, golden brown, risotto cakes that are “really, really, really good.” We believe it!

What goes with risotto cakes?

If you want to relish these risotto cakes the Tucci way, grab a drink. The actor says the cakes are “what [he’s] going to have with a cocktail.” For a full Stanley Tucci-approved snack, take him up on his recommendation for a perfect Negroni.

To make a full meal with risotto cakes, roast some of your favorite vegetables or a pan-fry the protein of your choice and call it a day. Better yet, a Stanley Tucci-approved day, which is bound to be award-winning.

Next: Learn how to create magic with the leftovers. Try Stanley Tucci’s pasta casserole’s recipe.