Italian Rice Balls Recipe (Arancini)
This simplified Italian Rice Balls Recipe or Arancini results in crispy, breaded rice balls stuffed with a melty, cheesy center. This delicious dish makes a great appetizer or snack, though you can certainly make them part of a meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (alternatively, you can add 5 cups of water and a bouillon cube)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs basil, dill, or parsley are all great options
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes (I used 1/2 inch cubes)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
Instructions
Prepare the rice
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and saute for a 2-3 minutes until its soft and translucent.
- Add the arborio rice to the pot and toast it for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the broth to the rice and let it cook on the stove until the rice is cooked and the broth is absorbed. Keep an eye on the rice as it cooks and add more broth if needed. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and allow the rice to cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
- Once the rice is cooled, season it with salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs. Taste the cold rice and and if satisfied with the seasoning, stir in the eggs.
Forming the arancini
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a small bowl with some water (to moisten your hands while you form the rice balls).
- Moisten your the palm of your hands with the water. Then, scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the rice mixture into your hands. [This amount makes small rice balls. If you desire larger arancini, you may scoop out your desired amount.] Form the rice mixture into a ball.
- Using your finger, poke a hole into the rice ball right to the center of it to create a crevice for the filling. Add a cube of mozzarella cheese into the center and then gently use your fingers to cover up the cheese with the rice. If the arancini has lost its shape, roll it gently in your hands to reform the ball.
- Place the rice ball on the parchment lined baking sheet and continue this process with the remaining rice mixture.
Breading and frying
- Line a baking sheet with paper towel and place it next to your stove.
- Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and roll the rice balls in the breadcrumbs one at a time until they are all breaded.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a dutch oven or deep frying pan [The oil should be deep enough to cover the rice balls.]. Working in batches, carefully add the rice balls to oil and fry them for a few minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove the rice balls with a metal skimmer or a metal slotted spoon and place them on the baking sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining rice balls, adjusting the heat if necessary while you continue to fry.
Notes
Note: Nutritional quantities are an estimate only and does not include the oil for frying which would add to these values.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
Calories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 49IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
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