Last week I shared my new favorite risotto recipe where I added pesto to the mix.  It's a great recipe if you missed it, but the point here is that you almost always have leftovers after you make risotto.  Leftovers that are too delicious to get rid of, and one of my favorite ways to use up my risotto leftovers is to make risotto balls!  Being that I could dip most things into marinara sauce (mozzarella sticks, pizza crust, crusty bread...okay so I could did anything carb loaded into marinara sauce), my baked pesto risotto balls are the perfect accompaniment to my love of dipping and marinara.

These little balls of flavor are perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish in my opinion. And since the risotto is the real time consuming part and it's usually already made, you can whip up these risotto balls in a flash!  Your guests will be impressed, your kids will love them, and you will look like a kitchen genius.