Greek Spinach Rice Balls

Submitted by dicentra

"These are good! Very filling, but not heavy. They would make great “party food” or a potluck dish. It is very important to use dampened hands when making the balls. Cut everything in tiny pieces."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 1 batch

ingredients

• 2 lbs fresh spinach (frozen would work)
• 1 cup chopped scallion
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (I bet wheat germ would be good too)

directions

1. In a large pot, steam spinach. Chop and set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Sauté the scallions in oil until just softened.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach, scallions, rice, dill and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, mashing the rice against the sides of the bowl until the mixture holds together.
3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. With Dampened hands, pack a heaping ¼ cup of the rice mixture into a ball. Roll the ball in the bread crumbs and place on the baking sheet. Repeat the process until all of the rice mixture is used up.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the balls are heated through and crisp on the outside.

Reviews

[ashleyswise]

I did not enjoy this recipe at all. It was difficult to form the rice mixture into balls, I ended adding a couple egg whites and that helped them keep shape somewhat. However they tasted dry and need some kind of dip or sauce - I will not be making this again.

 

[Chef MB]

Everyone loved these at a family dinner. I made them a little smaller, and still delicious. I might try adding a small amount of feta next time I make these.

 

[dallasdiva]

This was fabulous! My toddler was gobbling up the mixture before I even formed the balls. For additional flavor, I cooked the rice in chicken broth and used seasoned breadcrumbs. My hubby loved them too, and added an extra squeeze of lemon over the top with a dash of sea salt. This will be a weekly staple...

 

[Happy Hobbit]

These were absolutely delicious (please see how I rate recipes). As far as appetizers go, these have an unbelievable combination and layers of flavor. My friends loved them! I added some steamed grapevine leaves to the mix remembering how much this is used in the Greek cuisine, and whisked some half and half with lemon juice, and seasoned with dill weed and salt and pepper for a dip to go with the balls. Great recipe, thanks for sharing!

 

[tunasushi]

THIS IS really good. At first I thought it was going to be tasteless, but I was wrong! My sister and aunt and grandmother said it was great........I added a small handfull of cheddar and I cut the recipe in half, but it still gave me 10 huge balls of rice...luckily I didnt make the entire recipe. This is a keeper. Thanks