Description

These Arancini Rice Balls are a delicious Italian appetizer or snack. They are made with a creamy risotto-style rice filling that’s stuffed with mozzarella cheese, then breaded and fried until golden brown and crispy.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Arancini Rice Balls:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup ham, finely diced (about 3 ounces)
2 cups Jasmine rice, un-rinsed
1 cup Chardonnay (dry white wine)
5 cups hot chicken broth or stock
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to sprinkle on fried arancini
1 cup frozen peas, fully thawed
1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) cubes

For Breading/Frying:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or grapeseed)

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Instructions

Make rice filling: Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until softened and golden. Add ham and cook until golden. Stir in rice.
Cook risotto: Pour in white wine and cook until mostly evaporated. Add hot chicken broth and salt. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15-17 minutes. Stir in peas, cover, and cook for 2 minutes more. Spread rice mixture on a baking sheet to cool.
Assemble arancini: Once cooled, stir parsley and Parmesan cheese into the rice mixture. Form rice balls, stuffing each with a mozzarella cube.
Bread arancini: Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs. Dredge each rice ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
Fry: Heat oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry arancini in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per batch.
Serve: Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm with marinara sauce.

Notes

Use a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid for best results.
Make sure the rice is completely cooled before forming the arancini.
Fry the arancini in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 rice ball
Calories: 180kcal
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 210mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 20mg