Arancini or Italian Rice Balls are a very popular street food in Sicily. The classic traditional deep-fried recipe gets a makeover by being air-fried to make it a healthier and guilt-free snack/appetizer.
Arancini, or in simpler words, the Italian Rice balls or Risotto Balls, is a common street food in Sicily. Although a very popular street food, it is a great recipe for an appetizer or a small plate.
During my recent trip to one of the restaurant chains, I ordered a couple of small plate samplings, and one of the dishes was the Arancini. A texture that is crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside makes the dish very unique.
What is Arancini
In simpler words, Arancini is a cheese-stuffed rice ball that is breaded and fried. The traditionally deep-fried recipe gets a makeover in the Air Fryer to make it healthier and guilt-free.
Arancini are prepared throughout the island and are a very common sight in a local Sicilian deli or from a roadside vendor. They are shaped, packed, and stuffed differently in different parts of the region.
What is in the shape
I also learned that based on the way they are shaped, they are defined and called either a feminine name or a masculine name. In the western regions, they have a spherical shape and are called the “arancine” (female form).
In the Eastern regions, they are shaped in a conical form and are called “arancini” (the male form) . So, based on the way shaped, I should be calling them “Arancine”. The name arancini is derived from the Italian word Arancia, which is the orange.
Ingredients for Homemade Arancini
To make the rice balls
Cooked rice or risotto
Bread crumbs, all-purpose flour, or corn flour
To saute - Onion, garlic, bell pepper, crushed pepper flakes, and oil
Salt and pepper
Mozzarella cheese - either string cheese or cheese balls to stuff inside.
For the breading
How to Make Arancini (Step-by-Step)
Mash the cooked rice or risotto to a very soft mush and keep it aside. Using a potato masher or a flat, heavy spoon works well to mash. Also, if using leftover rice, warm it up a bit to help mash it easily.
In a small pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and bell peppers until soft (Step 1). Also, add the needed salt and crushed red peppers to it when cooking. (Step 2)
Cool it down a bit and then add this vegetable mixture to the mashed rice (Step 3) . Add the corn flour, all-purpose flour, and bread crumbs and mix well. (Step 4)
Take a handful of this mixture and make a ball with your palm (Step 5) . Stuff a piece of mozzarella inside the ball (Step 6) and close it well to form a tight ball (Steps 7 & 8) .
Repeat the same with the entire mixture and keep it aside.
Now form a breading station.
Batter Bowl - In a wide bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, corn flour, salt, and pepper, and add about ¼ cup of water. Mix it well to form a thick batter.
Bread crumbs bowl - In another wide plate, add the bread crumbs and season them (if needed).
Dip each of the formed rice balls into the batter and coat them evenly (Step 1) .
Now transfer this to the bread crumbs and roll it around to coat the surface. (Steps 2 & 3)
Layer all the prepared ones in a tray and keep them ready to deep fry or Air fry. At this stage, you could also freeze them to fry later. (Step 4)
To Air Fry the Rice Balls
Turn the air fryer on and set it to 360°F. Let it preheat for about 3 minutes.
Layer the prepared Arancini / Rice balls in a single layer and lightly spray with oil.
Let it air fry for about 6 minutes and then check the rice balls. Shake the basket to rotate the balls and then let it air fry for 6 more minutes.
Depending on the model of the air fryer and how many Italian rice balls we have, or the size of the balls, it might take slightly longer or a shorter time. The Air fryer Arancini balls are done when they are evenly golden brown and crispy.
To Deep Fry Italian rice balls
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wide
Once the oil heats up, slowly drop 2 or 3 balls into the oil and fry until evenly brown on all sides. The oil should be just the right temperature to allow the balls to become crispy on the outside and melt the mozzarella slightly inside.
Serve hot as is or with some marinara sauce on the side!
How to serve Arancini?
Arancini is a great appetizer choice served as is with a side of some kind of tomato sauce. I love blending my Oven-roasted tomato sauce to a smoother texture and using it as a dipping sauce.
If planning an Italian meal, then start the menu with Arancini as the appetizer. The main course could be Minestrone soup or the delicious Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna roll-ups .
And finish the meal with this delicious Budino (Italian Pudding) or Zeppole .
Expert Tips
Leftover rice works great for this recipe.
Adding onions and bell pepper is optional, but it adds a great flavor.
Season the ingredients at every stage. Check to see if the bread crumbs need seasoning, or use seasoned bread crumbs.
When breading the Arancini, I would suggest using the left hand for the batter and the right hand for the bread crumbs. This way, we can keep the wet and dry separate and not make it messy.
Risotto works great to make the arancini, but I used regular rice to make them. The only difference that I found from the restaurant one is that mine was a little softer in the middle when compared to the ones made with the risotto, which made it chewy in the center.
Absolutely, I made this eggless using flour as my batter, and it works very well.
I used mozzarella string cheese to stuff inside my Air fryer arancini. Fresh mozzarella balls would be a great choice as well. If you don’t have cheese, feel free to skip them as well.
Absolutely. I have updated the recipe and pictures using an air fryer. The Air Fryer Arancini tastes just the same, making it a guilt-free way to enjoy them.
You can easily freeze the prepared arancini balls and then air fry or deep fry them when ready. Once the Rice balls are shaped and breaded, place them on a tray and freeze them for a couple of hours. They would become hard by then. Transfer the frozen balls into a freezer bag and freeze them for about 3 months. When ready, place the balls directly into the basket of the air fryer and cook. It might take longer than mentioned to air fry the Arancini when starting from frozen.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Spicy Fried Tofu Recipe | Air Fryer Tofu Stir Fry
- Bitter Gourd Chips in Air Fryer | Pavakkai Chips | Karela Chips
- Gobi Manchurian | Cauliflower Manchurian | Gobhi Manchurian
- Vendakkai Pachadi | Okra Raita | Air-Fried Okra In Yogurt
Recipe
Ingredients
To make the rice balls
- ▢ 2 cups Cooked rice or risotto I used rice
- ▢ ¼ cup Bread crumbs
- ▢ 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Corn starch
- ▢ 1 small Onion finely chopped
- ▢ 1 Bell pepper finely chopped
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Crushed pepper flakes
- ▢ to taste Salt
- ▢ to taste Pepper
- ▢ 2 tablespoon Oil
- ▢ 5 Mozzarella cheese stick cut into 1 inch piece
For the breading
- ▢ 1 cup Bread crumbs
- ▢ 3 tablespoon All purpose flour
- ▢ 2 tablespoon Corn starch
- ▢ as needed Water to make a batter
- ▢ to taste Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mash the cooked rice or risotto to a very soft mush and keep it aside. Using a potato masher or a flat heavy spoon works well to mash. Also if using leftover rice, warm it up a bit to help mash it easily.
- In a small pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and bell peppers until soft. Also add the needed salt and crushed red peppers in it when cooking.
- Cool it down a bit and then add this vegetable mixture to the mashed rice. Add the corn flour, all purpose flour and bread crumbs and mix well.
- Take a handful of this mixture and make a ball with your palm. Stuff a piece of mozzarella inside the ball and close it well to form a tight ball. Do the same to the whole mixture and keep it aside.
- Now form a breading station. In a wide bowl, combine the all purpose flour, corn flour, salt and pepper and add about ¼ cup of water. Mix it well to form a thick batter. In another wide plate, add the bread crumbs and season it (if needed).
- Dip each of the formed rice ball into the batter and coat it evenly.
- Now transfer this to the bread crumbs and roll it around to coat the surface. I would suggest using the left hand for the batter and the right hand for the bread crumbs, just to keep the wet and dry separately and not make it messy. Layer all the prepared ones in a tray and keep them ready to deep fry or Air fry. At this stage you could also freeze them to fry later.
To Air Fry the Rice Balls
- Turn the air fryer on and set it at 360 F. Let it pre-heat for about 3 minutes.
- Layer the prepared Arancini / Rice balls in a single layer and lightly spray with oil.
- Let it air fry for about 6 minutes and then check the rice balls. hake the basket to rotate the balls and then let it air fry for 6 more minutes.
- Depending on the model of the air fryer and how many balls we have or the size of the balls, it might take slightly longer or lesser time. The Air fryer Arancini balls are done when they are evenly golden brown and crispy.
To Deep Fry
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wide
- Once the oil heats up slowly drop 2 or 3 balls into the oil and fry until evenly brown on all sides. The oil should be just the right temperature to allow cooking the balls to become crispy on the outside and melt the mozzarella slightly inside.
- Serve hot as is or with some marinara sauce on the side!
Notes
- Left over rice works great for this recipe.
- Adding onions and bell pepper is optional but adds a great flavor.
- Season the ingredients at every stage. heck to see if the bread crumbs need seasoning or use seasoned bread crumbs.
- When breading the Arancini, I would suggest using the left hand for the batter and the right hand for the bread crumbs. This way we can keep the wet and dry separately and not make it messy.
Nutrition
More Appetizer Recipes
- Aama Vadai | Paruppu Vadai | Chana Dal Vada
- Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Spicy Southern Cheese Straws
- Samosa Pinwheels | Air fryer and Baked
Arancini | Air Fryer Arancini | Cheese stuffed Italian Rice Balls
Ingredients
To make the rice balls
- 2 cups Cooked rice or risotto I used rice
- ¼ cup Bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Corn starch
- 1 small Onion finely chopped
- 1 Bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Crushed pepper flakes
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 5 Mozzarella cheese stick cut into 1 inch piece
For the breading
- 1 cup Bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoon All purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon Corn starch
- as needed Water to make a batter
- to taste Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mash the cooked rice or risotto to a very soft mush and keep it aside. Using a potato masher or a flat heavy spoon works well to mash. Also if using leftover rice, warm it up a bit to help mash it easily.
- In a small pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and bell peppers until soft. Also add the needed salt and crushed red peppers in it when cooking.
- Cool it down a bit and then add this vegetable mixture to the mashed rice. Add the corn flour, all purpose flour and bread crumbs and mix well.
- Take a handful of this mixture and make a ball with your palm. Stuff a piece of mozzarella inside the ball and close it well to form a tight ball. Do the same to the whole mixture and keep it aside.
- Now form a breading station. In a wide bowl, combine the all purpose flour, corn flour, salt and pepper and add about ¼ cup of water. Mix it well to form a thick batter. In another wide plate, add the bread crumbs and season it (if needed).
- Dip each of the formed rice ball into the batter and coat it evenly.
- Now transfer this to the bread crumbs and roll it around to coat the surface. I would suggest using the left hand for the batter and the right hand for the bread crumbs, just to keep the wet and dry separately and not make it messy. Layer all the prepared ones in a tray and keep them ready to deep fry or Air fry. At this stage you could also freeze them to fry later.
To Air Fry the Rice Balls
- Turn the air fryer on and set it at 360 F. Let it pre-heat for about 3 minutes.
- Layer the prepared Arancini / Rice balls in a single layer and lightly spray with oil.
- Let it air fry for about 6 minutes and then check the rice balls. hake the basket to rotate the balls and then let it air fry for 6 more minutes.
- Depending on the model of the air fryer and how many balls we have or the size of the balls, it might take slightly longer or lesser time. The Air fryer Arancini balls are done when they are evenly golden brown and crispy.
To Deep Fry
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wide
- Once the oil heats up slowly drop 2 or 3 balls into the oil and fry until evenly brown on all sides. The oil should be just the right temperature to allow cooking the balls to become crispy on the outside and melt the mozzarella slightly inside.
- Serve hot as is or with some marinara sauce on the side!
Notes
- Left over rice works great for this recipe.
- Adding onions and bell pepper is optional but adds a great flavor.
- Season the ingredients at every stage. heck to see if the bread crumbs need seasoning or use seasoned bread crumbs.
- When breading the Arancini, I would suggest using the left hand for the batter and the right hand for the bread crumbs. This way we can keep the wet and dry separately and not make it messy.
