Arancini (Italian Fried Risotto)

Arancini di Riso, or Italian fried risotto balls, are a classic Sicilian snack. Made from leftover risotto stuffed with mozzarella, these crispy delights are golden on the outside and gooey on the inside. In Italy, when life gives us left-over risotto, we make arancini. I actually make more risotto than I need every time, specifically so I can make arancini. Arancini di Riso (which literally means little “oranges of rice”) are little balls of risotto (shaped like oranges, hence the name) often stuffed with anything from ground beef, sausage, salame, prosciutto, cheese, peas, mushroom, and tomato sauce.

Ingredients you need

• Risotto: Arborio rice is a short-grain rice with a high starch content. It’s ideal for achieving a creamy and chewy risotto consistency. The rice is sauteed with onions and garlic then seasoned with salt, pepper, tomato paste, parsley, butter, and Chicken Broth (homemade or store bought). Grated parmesan acts as a glue that helps the arancini hold its shape while adding sharp, nutty notes.
• Filling: This recipe calls for mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes. Fresh mozzarella can also be used, just pat it dry before stuffing.
• Coating: A straightforward dredge of all-purpose flour, whisked eggs, and plain panko breadcrumbs coats each arancino.
• Oil: I use a high quality olive oil like our Nocellara Italian EVOO for the risotto and vegetable oil for frying.

How to Make Arancini

Arancini is quite simple to make although it does take some patience to get through all of the steps. I promise you this arancini recipe is worth it! Prepare the risotto: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 crushed, peeled garlic cloves and 1 finely chopped yellow onion. Stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Toast the rice: Add 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice and toast  until semi-translucent and fragrant. Add the flavor: Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves, 3 cups chicken broth, and 2 teaspoons tomato paste. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and bring to a soft boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes. When the rice is tender and the broth is fully absorbed, turn off the heat and mix in 1/2 cup of grated parmesan. Spread: Carefully spread the rice onto a parchment-lined baking tray and let cool for 10 minutes. Roll: When the rice is cool enough to handle, roll it into about 20 1-inch balls. Stuff: Cut the 4 ounces of mozzarella into 20, 1/2-inch cubes. Stuff them into the center of each rice ball, closing them by gently pushing rice over the opening and reshaping the balls. Dredge: In one medium mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk 2 eggs. Add 2 cups of breadcrumbs to a third bowl. Dredge each ball in flour, then egg, then panko, and place on a clean parchment-lined baking sheet. Fry: Heat 2 cups grapeseed or vegetable oil in an 8-inch saucepan to 350° F, or until the oil is bubbling but is not smoking. Fry 6 balls at a time, gently moving them around until golden in color, about 3-4 minutes. Place fried arancini on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve: Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with toothpicks or napkins on the side.

Tips and Tricks

Perfect arancini mostly comes down to getting the risotto to the right consistency. If you can get that part right—which isn’t difficult to do—you’ll be on the road to success. Plus, once you learn how to make this arancini recipe you can adapt it and get creative with the fillings in your own kitchen.

• After you cover the pot to let the risotto simmer, let it do its thing and don’t be tempted to uncover it until you get close to the 20 minute mark. Otherwise you risk letting the steam escape, which could result in adding more liquid and extending the cooking time.
• Wet your hands before forming the rice balls. This will help prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
• Wash your hands before beginning the dredging process. It helps to use one hand for the flour and the other for the egg and panko, so that you’ll only have one “sticky” hand.
• Using tongs to place each ball into and remove them from the oil is the safest route, while using large spoons to move them around while cooking is the easiest.
• Make sure the oil is hot enough to prevent it from absorbing into the rice layer. If you don’t have a thermometer, visual cues are helpful. The oil should have small bubbles but should not be smoking.

How to Bake or Air Fry Arancini

Frying the risotto balls is the traditional way to make Arancini and that’s the approach I took for this arancini recipe. For those looking to use less oil or make less of a mess, baking them in an oven or air fryer is another great option. To make Arancini in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the breaded risotto balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between each. Drizzle evenly with olive oil. Bake, turning periodically, until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. How to Make Arancini in the Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Place the breaded risotto balls into the air fryer in a single layer, leaving 1-inch of space between each. Drizzle evenly with olive oil. Bake, turning periodically, or until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating Arancini

It’s hard to imagine you’ll have any leftover Arancini but if you do here’s how to store and freeze arancini. While arancini are best enjoyed freshly fried, you can make them ahead by letting the fully cooked arancini cool, placing them in an air-tight container and refrigerating them for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or in an air fryer for 20 minutes. To freeze arancini: Fully cook the arancini, then cool completely. Place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen solid layer the arancini rice balls between pieces of parchment in an airtight container. They should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen: Do not thaw before reheating. Just place them on a baking sheet in a 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes.

• Saute the onion and garlic: Into a large, heavy bottom saucepan add the olive oil. Set over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

• Cook the rice: Add the rice to the saucepan and stir until semi-translucent, about 1 minute. Add the salt, ground pepper, parsley, stock, tomato paste, and butter. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Let simmer until the rice is tender and the broth is absorbed, 20-25 minutes.

• Set up a breading station: While the rice is cooking, grab 3 medium bowls. In one bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. In the second, whisk the eggs. Add the breadcrumbs to the third bowl. Line two shallow baking sheets with parchment paper

• Cube the mozzarella: Cut the mozzarella into 18 to 20, 1/2 inch cubes and keep chilled and sealed in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• Finish the rice: When the rice is tender and the broth is fully absorbed, turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Carefully spread the rice onto one of the prepared baking sheets and let cool for 10 minutes.

• Stuff the rice: When the rice is cool enough to handle, form it into 18, 1-inch balls. You can do this using your hands or a small cookie scoop. Once the balls are formed, insert a cube of cheese into the center and press the rice around it so the cheese is completely encased.

• Bread the Arancini: Carefully dredge each ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the balls are completed and place each completed ball on the other parchment lined baking sheet.

• Fry: In an 8-inch saucepan, heat 2 cups (approximately 1/2-inch deep) of olive oil to 350°F, or until the oil forms small bubbles but is not smoking. Fry 6 balls at a time turning gently until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Place completed arancini on a paper towel-lined plate.

Notes

• Wet your hands before forming the rice balls. This will help prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
• Wash your hands before beginning the dredging process. It helps to use one hand for the flour and the other for the egg and Panko, so you’ll only have one “sticky” hand.

Nutrition Facts

6 servings per container

• Amount Per ServingCalories576.9
• % Daily Value *
• Total Fat 19.4g30%
  • Saturated Fat 8g40%
  • Polyunsaturated Fat 2.2g
  • Monounsaturated Fat 7.5g
  • Trans Fat 0.2g
• Cholesterol 86.8mg29%
• Sodium 137.4mg6%
• Potassium 335.7mg10%
• Total Carbohydrate 79g27%
  • Dietary Fiber 3.8g16%
  • Sugars 3.7 g
• Protein 20.5g41%

• Sugars3.7%
• Protein20.5%
• Vitamin C4.8%
• Calcium262.5%
• Iron5.2%