Crispy On The Outside, With Melted, Gooey Centers!
If you’ve ever had Italian rice balls (arancini di riso, translating to little oranges), you know how delicious they can be. Crispy, deep fried rice balls — well, not just rice: cooked risotto — often stuffed with mozzarella cheese or peas, and served with warm marinara sauce.
The key to the very best arancini is to keep them tender and moist (sorry — the m- word was necessary!) with almost a liquid-like center. When made well, they are ethereal.
Which is why I’m so excited to share this arancini recipe with you! It yields 18 rice balls, each with a gooey, melted mozzarella center. The tender rice is loosely held together by a crunchy bread crumb topping. They’re one of my all time favorite appetizers and happy hour snacks.
On the search for more easy appetizers for entertaining? Try my classic bruschetta, sausage-stuffed mushrooms, or these puff pastry spinach and cheese bourekas next!
Ingredient Notes
- Short grain rice is best! While Arborio rice is fine (and in fact traditional to make risotto), Originario rice or sushi rice are even shorter and are fantastic for making risotto.
- Unsalted butter
- Shallot or onion, diced
- Dry white wine
- Chicken stock or broth, or vegetable broth.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is added to fully cooked risotto.
- Fresh lemon zest, which brightens the flavors of the rice balls.
- Fresh herbs: We love to add chives. You could use thyme, oregano, basil, or parsley instead. Or add a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or oregano!
- Heavy cream + 1 egg yolk: These two ingredients will help prevent the risotto from seizing tightly later.
- Mozzarella: Cut a fresh ball of mozzarella into small ¼” cubes for stuffing inside the rice balls. I strongly prefer the texture of cubed mozzarella to shredded mozzarella. It melts better!
- Rice flour, though regular all purpose flour is fine! If you use gluten-free breadcrumbs, rice flour keeps the arancini gluten-free, which is nice.
- Traditional breadcrumbs: store-bought or fresh homemade breadcrumbs.
- A light, neutral oil for deep frying: canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Kosher salt + black pepper: For seasoning!
Equipment: a large pot for cooking the risotto, along with a spatula for stirring, a saucepan for the stock, a ladle, a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and then a pot for deep frying. We love this spider.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making fried risotto balls at home requires time and patience, but it’s actually really easy.
- Make classic Italian risotto. Sweat onion or shallots in butter, toast the rice, then cook with white wine, adding chicken broth or stock slowly and stirring continuously.
- Flavor the risotto. In addition to Parmesan cheese, we like to add lemon zest and fresh herbs. Next, stir in heavy cream, an egg yolk, and an extra pat or two of butter. This helps keep the rice tender instead of seizing up into a hard ball. See additional tips below!
- Cool for 1 hour. Pour the cooked risotto onto a parchment lined baking sheet, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to spread into an even layer.
- Form the rice balls. Take ¼ cup of cooled risotto in the palm of your hand, then place a couple cubes of fresh mozzarella in the center. Form the rice around the mozzarella cheese, trying your best to seal it tightly. Repeat with remaining risotto. This can be done up to 3 days in advance.
- Dredge the arancini. Dredge each rice ball first in the rice flour + water mixture, then into the bread crumbs.
- Fry the arancini. Deep fry in canola or vegetable oil that’s heated to 350F until golden-brown and crispy on all sides! This will take about 3-5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack lined with a paper towel, then season with Kosher salt.
I love to serve Sicilian fried rice balls with my homemade marinara sauce. Homemade tomato sauce would be great too!
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Keep the rice balls moist! Stir a little heavy cream into the cooked risotto — this is neither traditional nor authentic — but it keeps the fried risotto balls moist.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan! When frying, work in batches of ~4 rice balls at a time. If you add too many at once, you’ll bring down the temperature of the oil. This results in a longer cook time and uneven browning.
- Drain the arancini on paper towels! This will absorb excess oil, yielding crispy (not greasy!) rice balls! Immediately season with a sprinkle of Kosher salt.
- Re-use the oil! I keep empty 1-liter bottles on hand and strain the leftover cooking oil straight into them. First, allow the oil to cool completely. Next, place a fine mesh strainer on top of a funnel that is set on top of a bottle. Strain the oil inside. You can use the cooking oil at least 2 more times before discarding.
Make-Ahead, Store, & Freeze
- Make-Ahead: Prepare and refrigerate the arancini overnight, then cook when ready. You can also fry them and store in a fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in an oven at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes.
- Freezing instructions: Allow cooked arancini to cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to a Ziplock bag. Freeze in a single layer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat in a preheated oven to 375°F for 15-20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
If these are part of a larger meal, I like to serve a simple arugula salad and then go straight into the pasta course.
As far as a sauce for dipping, homemade marinara gets my vote! If I don’t have a batch on hand, my go-to store-bought sauce is Rao’s marinara.
These arancini are so creamy and tender! You will love the bright, zesty lemon flavor, but the melted mozzarella center and the crunchy breadcrumb coating just cannot be beat!
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Italian Rice Balls Stuffed with Mozzarella (Arancini)
Video
Ingredients
Italian Risotto:
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- ½ small sweet onion, peeled and diced
- 1 cup sushi rice, or other small grain rice, such as Arborio
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup Parmesan, grated, plus more for serving
- 1 medium lemon, zested
- 2 Tbsp chives, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Stuffed Rice Balls:
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 4-6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼" cubes
Crispy Coating:
- ¼ cup rice flour
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
Frying and Serving:
- Neutral oil (you'll need several cups of oil for frying)
- Marinara sauce
Instructions
- Warm the broth. Place 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock in a sauce pan, then bring to a simmer until needed.
- Make the risotto: Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in 1 cup uncooked rice and toast for 3 minutes.
- Add liquid a little at a time. Add ½ cup white wine and cook until mostly evaporated. Begin adding warm stock 1–2 ladlefuls at a time, stirring constantly and allowing it to absorb before adding more. Continue until the rice is creamy and al dente with a slight bite, about 20 minutes. The risotto should be loose and slightly soupy, not dry.
- Finish: Stir in ⅓ cup Parmesan, zest of 1 lemon, 2 Tbsp chives, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Add 3 Tbsp heavy cream and 1 egg yolk, stirring until fully incorporated.
- Chill: Spread cooked risotto in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate 1 hour or freeze 30 minutes.
- Form: Scoop about 3 Tbsp risotto, place 2 small cubes mozzarella in the center, and seal tightly. Repeat. (Can be formed up to 3 days ahead.) If soft, chill 10 minutes before breading.
- Dredge: Whisk ¼ cup rice flour with ½ cup water. Place 1 cup breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Dip each ball in the flour mixture, then coat in breadcrumbs. Chill at least 10 minutes.
- Fry: Heat 3 inches oil to 350°F / 175°C. Fry 3–4 at a time until golden and crisp, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a rack, season with kosher salt, and serve immediately with marinara.
Notes
- Nutrition note: Nutrition facts exclude marinara sauce.
- Make ahead: Shape and refrigerate arancini overnight, then fry when ready. Cooked arancini keep refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat at 375°F / 190°C for 12–15 minutes.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer airtight for up to 3 months. Reheat at 375°F / 190°C for 15–20 minutes.
- Size tip: Keep arancini small (about 3 Tbsp risotto each). Larger portions may brown before the mozzarella melts.
This is the first time making these. I myself, am not a fan of rice balls, (so I thought) my son LOVES them and orders them instead of pizza when we order out.
Well, since I LOVE to cook, I thought I’d give it a try.
I will admit, I normally go with high rated recipes- especially if I’ve never made them before, but just by reading your recipe, I knew these were going to be amazing!
They absolutely did not disappoint!
Not in any way.
So thank you for this victory! I took it as a challenge!
My son now tells everyone that I make the BEST and most INSANELY delicious rice balls!
I followed this recipe exactly as written, because like I said, I have no experience making these at all.
I will not make any changes next time, these are perfect as written . I also froze half of the batch.. 😊
I made your homemade marinara to go with it and it came out great too but my son gobbled up these rice balls before trying !
Maria, thank you so much — both for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment, but also for trusting the recipe enough to give it a go. I mean, I’m not sure I could’ve made them look any better — that arancini is perfection! I hope you’re proud of yourself, these are certainly a labor of love and I’m sure your son appreciated it. Hope you stick around and try a few more recipes! (And yes, LOVE homemade marinara!) Cheers, Ari