March 30, 2026 Ellen 0 Comments

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Rice Waffles | Turn Leftover Rice into Crispy Rice Waffles

Have you ever eaten something so good, so distinctive, that you still think about it 25+ years later? The location was in Honolulu circa early 2000’s. How does a broke 20-something and her friends afford a vacation to Hawaii? Back then when newspapers still existed, United Airlines printed an ad for round trip direct flights from Newark to Honolulu for $235. It was actually a misprint, but they honored the pricing. As a result, I had the adventure of a lifetime. I was blown away by the beauty of the island, all its glorious beaches, mountains, people, culture and customs.

Not to take away from all the other amazing food I tried in Hawaii, but I need to talk about MOS Burger. It’s a Japanese burger chain restaurant that is popular in Japan and many other Asian countries. I came upon their Waikiki location and saw something that caught my eye. It was a burger, but instead of a wheat bun, this burger had a rice bun. Like actual rice, formed into a bun. My mind was blown. I had to have it. So here I am 25+ years later, still thinking about that rice burger.

Yes, I have re-created this burger at home and I can’t wait to share that with everyone. But as all things evolve, I thought, what if I put this rice bun in the waffle maker? Top it with a sunny-side egg, sprouts and avocado? That would be superstar breakfast idea. Or an anytime meal, actually. I needed to perfect this rice waffle first. I tried binding all these slippery little rice grains with egg, but at last, I scrapped the egg. It just tasted too eggy, and the more rice to egg ratio I tried to minimize the egg taste, the less it worked to bind everything together. I just wanted rice. Crispy outside, tender, almost chewy inside.

The Best Binder for Crispy Rice Waffles

I love the way potato starch turned out with this. It worked well to bind all the rice together without interfering with the taste of the rice. A little splash of soy sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of salt, and this is the perfect crispy rice waffle to use as a base for any savory topping. Try this with my Korean Fried Chicken and Rice Waffle recipe. It’s so good.

What’s in the rice waffles

cooked rice
potato starch
low-sodium soy sauce
sesame oil
salt

Rice Waffles

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Transforming a humble bowl of leftover rice into a golden, crispy, chewy waffle is the ultimate creation for all rice lovers out there. These rice waffles take the comforting, chewy texture of perfectly cooked grains and elevate them with deep toasted ridges that delights with every bite.

By using potato starch as the binder, these crispy rice waffles are gluten-free, and have a light, airy crispiness that flour or egg just can’t replicate. Top it with a fried egg and a drizzle of chili crunch for a 5 minute breakfast. Or top these rice waffles with smoked salmon and cream cheese. These rice waffles are a blank slate for almost any flavor.

Author: Ellen
Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup of cooked rice (medium or short grain, can be cold, leftover rice)
1 tablespoon potato starch
1 1/2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
pinch of salt
oil for brushing on waffle maker

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Instructions

Preheat your waffle maker on the high heat setting.
Combine the rice, potato starch, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss it together until mixed well. If using cold rice, use a fork to break up any large clumps. Warm rice works fine here too.
Brush some oil on the waffle iron grates to prevent the rice from sticking. Layer a 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick portion of the rice onto the waffle iron, spreading it evenly across the surface. Depending on the size of your waffle maker, you might need to do this in batches.
Close the waffle iron and let it do its thing. When the timer is done, check that the rice is crispy. Tap it with a fork to see if there is a nice crust. If it still feels soft, close the iron and let it cook for a few more minutes. My waffle iron beeps after 7 minutes on the high setting and there is a thin crusty shell on the waffle. If you want it more crispy, leave it on for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Your rice waffle should lift easily off the iron.

Notes

This recipe is good for 1 waffle. Multiply the portions based on how many waffles/servings you want to make. Just be sure to keep the ratio of 1 cup of cooked rice + 1 tablespoon of potato starch.
You can adjust the amount of soy sauce and/or sesame oil based on preference.
I don’t recommend you use egg as a binder. It does work well to keep the rice waffle from falling apart but it changes the taste and texture of the rice waffle; it tastes like egg + rice, not just rice. Potato starch works well to bind the rice and keep it from falling apart, while allowing the texture and taste of the rice to shine here.

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