Arancini

5 from 1

With a creamy, cheesy risotto filling and crispy breaded outside, this Arancini recipe makes the best fried Italian rice balls. Serve with marinara sauce for a restaurant-quality appetizer any time!

See below the recipe card for step-by-step images

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: arancini, arancini balls recipe, arancini recipe, italian rice balls

Servings: rice balls

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil divided
½ cup shallots finely minced
2 cloves garlic minced
½ cup cremini mushrooms finely minced
¼ cup carrots finely minced
1½ cups dry Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup Gruyère cheese cut into small 1/2-inch cubes, chilled
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs beaten
1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for frying
fresh chopped parsley for garnish
marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Once shimmering, add shallots and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic until fragrant. Add diced mushrooms and carrots, and cook until they release their moisture and are tender. Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside to add to the cooked rice later.
Add remaining olive oil to the same pan, along with arborio rice, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted. Pour in the white wine and cook until it evaporates. Begin adding vegetable broth, one cup at a time, stirring frequently. Allow the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. (This process takes about 20-25 minutes. Be patient.)
Once the rice is creamy and cooked al dente, remove from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, cooked vegetable mixture, salt, pepper, and unsalted butter.
Spread the rice mixture onto a large rimmed baking sheet and let it cool completely.
Take a portion of the cooled rice mixture, place a small cube of Gruyère cheese in the center, and encase it with the rice mixture, forming a 2-inch round ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Set up 3 shallow bowls, the first one with the flour, the second with the beaten eggs, the third with the bread crumbs. Dredge each ball into the flour, then into beaten eggs (allowing excess egg to drip off), and then roll it in Italian-style breadcrumbs until fully coated. Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a medium pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Fry the arancini in batches (about 6 at a time) until golden brown and crispy on all sides, approximately 3 minutes per batch, doing your best to keep the oil at an even temperature.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the arancini and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Let cool for about 5 minutes, then serve the arancini sprinkled with fresh parsley and marinara sauce for dipping!

Video

Notes

Switch up the cheese. I’m partial to Gruyere, but other types of cheese, like mozzarella, will work too. If you use fresh mozzarella, squeeze out the moisture first.

The wine enhances the flavor and aroma of the rice, and the alcohol content completely burns off, leaving nothing but additional great flavor. But if you are 100% against using it, just replace it with an equal amount of veggie broth.

Nutrition