Arancini are what happens when leftover risotto gets a much more exciting second life: rolled around a cube of melting mozzarella, breaded, and fried until the outside shatters and the inside stays creamy.
Arancini are a Sicilian street food classic, and they sit alongside our other Italian recipes such as passatelli in brodo and cannelloni al forno (recipes on the site).
Shaping them is a good job for a helper in the kitchen: squeeze the cheese into the center and seal the rice around it.
Arancini di Riso Recipe
What you need
Ingredients
- For the risotto base:
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt, to taste
- For the filling:
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
- For breading and frying:
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Cook along
Instructions
- Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan and keep warm.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and toast 1 to 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and cook until absorbed.
- Add the warm broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition absorb before adding more, until the rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the Parmesan and butter, season with salt, and spread the risotto on a baking sheet to cool completely, at least 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight).
- Once cool, scoop about 1/4 cup of risotto into your palm, press a cube of mozzarella into the center, and shape into a ball, sealing the rice around the cheese.
- Set up a breading station with flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Roll each rice ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, coating evenly.
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the arancini in batches 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot, with marinara sauce for dipping if you like.
WhatsApp Channel
Healthy Mediterranean recipes, straight to your phone
No groups, no clutter — just healthy Mediterranean recipes, sent as soon as they're ready. Follow the channel and never miss the next one.
Follow the ChannelEnjoy our recipes? Add Maria’s Cookbook as a preferred source on Google to see more of our content in your search results.
