Rissoles, also known in Brazil as Risoles, are half-moon pastries that resemble empanadas. They are filled with different fillings such as ham and cheese and then breaded and deep-fried until golden brown. They are simply one of the most delish party food appetizers you could ever have (crispy outside and gooey inside)!
You may be asking yourself: “what the heck is that?” It is one of the most delicious ham and cheese croquettes you will ever put in your mouth. A must-try small bite or appetizer for parties, holidays, or as an afternoon snack!
Already sounds good? Well, just wait until you bite into that melting gooey cheese and tasty ham.
What is Rissole?
Rissole (plural rissoles) has different names in various countries and they are not the same dish.
In my home country Brazil it is well-known as risole or risoles (plural) while in Portugal it’s called rissol or rissóis (plural). In these 2 countries, rissoles look like breaded and deep-fried empanadas with a half-moon shape. They are crispy outside and come with different fillings such as gooey melted cheese, ham and cheese, chicken, shrimp, cod, or heart of palm, among others.
Indonesians call them risol or risoles (plural). There they resemble a spring roll, although made with a batter similar to crepes. They are often filled with chicken, veggies, and bechamel, and then breaded and deep-fried.
In Australia and New Zealand, rissole(s) consists of a beef, lamb, or chicken patty similar to a hamburger yet resembling an irregular meatball. Poland has its own version, known as sznycle (singular “sznycel”), somewhat similar to the Australian rissoles.
In Ireland, they are flat deep-fried potato croquettes– hence they are made from mashed potatoes, herbs, and spices. England and Wales have a similar version as Ireland, but meat is added to the recipe.
France has the most unique version of them all. Rézule, known by this name, consists of a baked pear turnover and it served as a dessert.
As you can see, these small bites may vary from one place to the other around the globe and may have variations in fillings even within the same country.
How to Make Rissoles (Brazilian Risoles)
- In a medium, non-stick saucepan, add the milk, salt and pepper, olive oil, and bouillon, and then bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir every once in a while. When the milk mixture is hot, add the sifted flour all at once while stirring very well. It will get harder to stir! But continue to stir vigorously for about 1 minute or so until obtaining a lumpy dough.
- Remove from heat and transfer the dough to an electric mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Knead the dough at speed “2” for about 2-3 minutes or until it becomes soft and smooth. If you don’t have a mixer with a hook attachment, let the dough cool enough to handle and knead by hand very well.
- Scrape dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. PHOTO 1 Knead a little bit more by hand. Roll out dough with a rolling pin until flat (about 1/8-inch thick). Using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut out flat disks from the dough (about 2 ½ – 3- inch diameter each) and let rest for 5 to 8 minutes at room temp. PHOTO 2
- If needed, re-roll out the dough to take advantage of the leftovers after cutting for the first time.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling (more cheese than ham) onto the center of each disk. Fold in half to close like an empanada or half-moon and press to seal the edges well using your fingers. PHOTO 3
- For dredging, place all-purpose flour, half of the egg whites (mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of water), and half of the breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Pass the rissoles through each bowl (flour, egg whites, and then breadcrumbs), shaking off any excess. Divide the egg whites and breadcrumbs in half-quantities because the bowl of whites will accumulate excess flour and the crumbs will accumulate excess whites. Make sure to replace both the whites and crumbs to maintain an effective coating for the rissoles as you dredge them.
- To fry them, pour a sufficient amount of vegetable oil into a frying machine or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat to 350 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer to measure the temperature, dip a small piece of the dough into the heated oil. If you hear a sizzling sound, the oil is ready.
- Fry the croquettes for about 1-2 minutes (in batches); otherwise, it will lower the temperature, making the croquettes oily. Make sure to turn both sides while frying them so that they will brown evenly.
- Transfer risoles to a baking sheet lined with a double sheet of paper towels to absorb any excess oil. PHOTO 4 Serve them warm with rosé sauce if you wish.
Rosé Sauce
Mix about 1 cup of heavy cream with 1/4 cup of ketchup and a dash of salt and pepper until smooth.
Brazilian Rissoles Variations
The dough recipe calls for the same ingredients. But the filling may vary according to one’s individual preferences. The most common filling for these half-moon croquettes in Brazil are heart of palm, ham, cheese (mozzarella is the most common type), ham and cheese, ground beef, shrimp, shredded chicken (similar to coxinha although with a different shape), or chicken with cheese (often catupiry or requeijão, which is Brazilian cream cheese).
If serving risoles as a snack, ketchup is the most common condiment. But if serving as an appetizer for parties, rosé sauce is most preferred for dipping. Of course, a creamy green salsa or even chimichurri would pair well with our ham and cheese croquettes.
All over Brazil risoles are available at bakeries, bars, and cafés, and are sometimes served as a street food. They are also served as one of the appetizers at parties and during some Brazilian holidays such as Christmas.
Tips for Success
- For a fine dough, sift the flour.
- Use equal amounts of milk or broth and flour.
- Stir dough vigorously after adding the flour to the hot liquid mixture.
- To roll out the rissole dough easily, the dough must be still warm yet cool enough to handle if kneading with your hands. Don’t forget to flour the working surface!
- The dough must show no cracks before frying; if it does crack, wet your fingers in water and pinch the dough together. Otherwise, the oil will penetrate the filling when frying.
- Do not overfill the dough. This will increase the risk of opening when frying.
- Make sure to seal the edges of the croquettes very well to prevent them from opening when frying.
- After frying, remove excess oil by placing rissoles over a double layer of paper towel.
Storage
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the raw (not fried) dredged/breaded rissoles side by side and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for about 2 hours and then transfer them to freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months!
Do not thaw them before frying. This way, they will keep their shape and also won’t crack.
Avoid frying them first and then freezing, as the outside may turn soggy.
Other Party Appetizers:
- Pão de queijo
- Beef empanadas (pastel de carne)
- Cod Cakes (bolinho de bacalhau)
- Mini shrimp pot pies (empadinhas de camarão)
PIN & ENJOY!
Rissoles (Brazilian Risoles)
Equipment
- Pots
- wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
- Stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 ½ cups full-fat milk or chicken broth
- A pinch of salt and pepper each
- 1 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (only if using milk)
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour sifted
For the filling:
- 2 ounces deli ham chopped
- 4 ½ oz shredded cheese such as cheddar (or any other melting cheese)
For dredging:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg whites divided
- 2 cups breadcrumbs divided
For frying:
- Enough vegetable oil to fully immerse the risoles for deep frying
Instructions
- In a medium, non-stick saucepan, add the milk, salt and pepper, olive oil, and bouillon, and then bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir every once in a while. When the milk mixture is hot, add the sifted flour all at once while stirring very well. It will get more and more difficult to stir! But continue to stir vigorously for about 1 minute or so until obtaining a lumpy dough.
- Remove from heat and transfer the dough to an electric mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Knead the dough at speed "2" for about 2-3 minutes or until it becomes soft and smooth. If you don't have a mixer with a hook attachment, let the dough cool enough to handle and knead by hand very well.
- Scrape dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead a little bit more by hand. Roll out dough with a rolling pin until flat (about 1/8-inch thick). Using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut out flat disks from the dough (about 2 ½ - 3- inch diameter each) and let rest for 5 to 8 minutes at room temperature.
- If needed, re-roll out the dough to take advantage of the leftovers after cutting for the first time.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling (more cheese than ham) onto the center of each disk. Fold in half to close like an empanada or half-moon and press to seal the edges well using your fingers.
- For dredging, place all-purpose flour, half of the egg whites (mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of water), and half of the breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Pass the rissoles through each bowl (flour, egg whites, and then breadcrumbs), shaking off any excess. The egg whites and breadcrumbs are divided for use in half-quantities because eventually the bowl of whites will accumulate excess flour and the crumbs will accumulate excess whites. Both will need to be replaced to maintain an effective coating for the rissoles as they are dredged.
- To fry them, pour a sufficient quantity of vegetable oil into a frying machine or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat to 350 degrees F. If you don't have a thermometer to measure the temperature, dip a small piece of the dough into the heated oil. If you hear a sizzling sound, the oil is ready.
- Fry the croquettes for about 1-2 minutes (in batches); otherwise, it will lower the temperature, making the croquettes oily. Make sure to turn both sides while frying them so that they will brown evenly.
- Transfer risoles to a baking sheet lined with a double sheet of paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve them warm with rosé sauce if desired.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Josiah - DIY Thrill says
These rissoles look crispy and so delicious!
Denise Browning says
Thank you! These rissoles are so simple to make yet so delicious. They are a popular appetizer in Brazil.
Dennis Yannakos says
OMG it looks so good! My mouth is watering! can’t wait to check out the recipe!
Raymund says
Denise that looks really amazing! that oozing cheese on that warm rissoles makes we want to go out and find s a shop that sells this. I am so drooling now
Denise Browning says
I am so glad to hear that Raymund! Yes, rissoles or Brazilian risoles are quite delicious! They have a crispy exterior and a gooey cheese filling that make everyone fall in love with them at first bite. They look like empanadas except they are breaded and deep-fried instead of baked.
2pots2cook says
Thank you for this lovely idea. While the soup is on the stove, I could prepare these beauties and fry to have after afterwards. Thank you and be safe ! 🙂
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Mmmm, love fried things like this. Terrific looking dish — thanks.
Denise Browning says
Rissoles make a great appetizer for games, parties, and even as a snack.
Aarthi says
Pastries with that gooey cheese is absolutely tempting , I would love to have a plateful of the appetizer. I will try with chicken variation and try the recipe, thanks for sharing it!