This recipe is sponsored by DeLallo!
Watch How To Make Arancini
This Is A Recipe You Make Once Per Year.
I first made arancini a couple years ago for a dinner party around the holidays, and now I have thought about it again, and made it again, every year since.
Arancini is the Italian dish of balls of creamy risotto packed with mozzarella cheese and fried to golden stuffed perfection.
Guys, this is not a practical food to make. This is not a fast, everyday dinner. This is the opposite of that. We are first making risotto (a bit tiresome in and of itself) and then rolling it up with mozzarella cheese, breading it, frying it, and dunking it, hot and melty, into a red sauce.
This is a recipe for special occasions and hence why I only make this once a year. But when I do make it… oh my gosh.
I made it a bit early this year – had to for this recipe post and video! woe is me! – but it usually holds its place on my mental calendar for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s people hanging out, it’s a spirit of frivolity, it’s something to celebrate.
But ultimately it’s the desire to pull apart a crispy, golden ball of creamy risotto stuffed with molten, melty cheese and dunk it into a rich red sauce. I can’t even. It’s so good. Lick fingers and repeat.
If you’ve never had arancini, I can’t wait for you to make this.
Welcome To My Home! Let’s Make Arancini!
1
Cook the Risotto.
This is the part where I tell you you might want to double the recipe because the risotto in and of itself is so good that you’ll want to eat it right here and now. Go ahead. Double it. We’re using DeLallo arborio rice here – only the best Italian products for our Italian recipes here on POY!
2
Chill the Risotto.
Press it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Yes, it looks like rice krispie bars. You’re doing it right. Pop that into the fridge for a bit.
3
Roll It Up.
Tuck a cube of cheese inside a little piece of risotto and roll it up into a little surprise ball. Get your hands wet to prevent sticking.
4
Prep For Frying.
Dredge the balls in flour, egg, and panko.
5
Fry Those Little Guys.
We want them gloriously golden brown!
6
You’re Done! Yum!
Oh my actual goodness. Get into this.
Incredible Arancini
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: about 15 balls 1x
Description
This is the best arancini! Creamy risotto packed with melty mozzarella cheese, and fried to golden stuffed perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Risotto:
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- half of a yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
- 1 cup arborio rice (DeLallo is the best!)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, warmed (see notes)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- a bit of lemon zest (1-2 teaspoons)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- pepper to taste
For Frying the Arancini:
- a block of low moisture Mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
- 2 cups panko, crushed in a food processor (optional on the crushing but it makes for a finer crisp)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
- vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
For the Sauce:
- Your favorite store-bought tomato sauce, or arrabbiata sauce for something spicy.
Instructions
- Start The Risotto: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the arborio rice and salt; let it toast a bit to turn lightly golden brown.
- Simmer The Risotto: Add the wine; let it sizzle out. Add the broth, about one cup at a time, stirring gradually as you let it simmer. We want the liquid to be absorbed slowly after each addition. This process will take about 15-20 minutes and you’ll be left with something that looks like slightly creamy rice.
- Make It Creamy and Cheesy: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, Parmesan, lemon zest, cream, and pepper to taste. IT’S DELICIOUS ALREADY. Try not to eat the whole thing.
- Chill: Spread the risotto onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for about an hour.
- Form Into Balls: Take a small piece of the chilled risotto and press it into your palm. Tuck a cube or two of mozzarella cheese in there, and wrap the risotto around it into a ball.
- Dredge Risotto Balls: Dip the balls into the flour (shaking off excess), then the eggs, then the panko.
- Fry The Arancini: Heat the oil (3-5 cups depending on pan size) over medium high heat. When the oil is hot (350 degrees is ideal if you have a thermometer), add the arancini. It should bubble a bit and start to turn golden brown. Flip and brown on the other side.
- Finish and Serve: Place on paper towel lined plates to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with salt. Dip in your sauce of choice and OH MY GOODNESS they are so so so good. Your efforts paid off.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep Fry
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: arancini, fried risotto, fried appetizer, italian appetizer, risotto
Frequently Asked Questions About Making Arancini
True arancini is made with risotto (arborio rice)! That said, if you wanted to press rice balls together with some cheese inside, the same concept would work with just about any other type of rice as long as it sticks together.
Yes! Just about any type of cheese you like will work here. I would suggest something low-moisture and meltable like provolone or gruyere. The cheese also impacts the flavor so choose something that will give you the taste you’re looking for.
Yes, you can refrigerate at almost any stage – I would suggest rolling the risotto with the mozzarella, and refrigerating the balls. From there, when you’re ready to serve, you can dredge and fry them.
Yes – I would go through the entire process, including dredging, and freeze them before frying. Then pull them out of the freezer to pop in the fryer, air fryer, or oven to finish.
Yes – I would air fry at 350-375 degrees for about 10 minutes, spritzing them with a bit of oil and flipping halfway.
Three More Ways To Love Risotto
Thank you to DeLallo for sponsoring this recipe!