If you’ve got leftover risotto, you NEED to turn it into arancini. These golden-fried Italian rice balls are crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and irresistible with a side of marinara. You can use any chilled risotto, or use my Creamy Parmesan Risotto for the perfect base. Whether you’re making them for a party appetizer, a cozy dinner, or a make-ahead snack, these Arancini Italian Rice Balls are always a hit.
Why You Will Love These Arancini Italian Rice Balls
- Perfect Use for Leftover Risotto: The best way to give day-old risotto new life.
- Crispy Outside, Cheesy Inside: The Panko-Parmesan crust gives the perfect crunch, while the mozzarella center stays gooey.
- Crowd-Pleasing Italian Appetizer: Everyone loves a bite-sized, cheesy fried snack, especially when it’s dipped in marinara.
- Freezer-Friendly and Make-Ahead: You can prep and freeze the arancini before frying for easy entertaining.
- Customizable: You can switch up the fillings, cheese, or even the type of risotto to make these your own.
Ingredients
- Risotto: Any chilled risotto will work—try mushroom risotto, seafood risotto, or lemon herb risotto.
- Mozzarella: Use fontina, provolone, or even a cube of cheddar for a twist.
- Flour: Substitute with gluten-free all-purpose flour, if needed.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Regular or Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs will also work.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are great swaps.
How to Prepare Arancini Italian Rice Balls
- Prepare the dredge setup. In one shallow bowl, mix the flour with the salt. In another, beat the eggs. In a third bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of risotto into your hand. Wet your hands to prevent sticking. Flatten it slightly.
- Place a cube of mozzarella in the center and wrap the risotto around the cheese to form a ball.
- Dredge each ball in flour, then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally roll in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture, until fully coated.
- Repeat with the remaining risotto while you heat the oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully lower the arancini into the hot oil. Fry in batches, turning with two spoons to ensure even browning.
- Once golden and crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with salt.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce, extra grated Parmesan, and fresh basil.
How to Serve and Store Leftovers
- Serve these Arancini Italian Rice Balls with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan, fresh basil, and a side of warm marinara for dipping.
- Make ahead: You can form and bread the arancini up to a day in advance. Keep them covered in the fridge until ready to fry.
- Store leftovers: Place cooled arancini in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 375°F (190°C) until warmed through and crispy again, about 5–8 minutes.
- Freeze for later: After breading (but before frying), freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Fry directly from frozen or bake/air fry until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I bake or air fry arancini instead of deep frying? Yes! To bake, place the breaded arancini on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spray lightly with oil, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway. To air fry, cook at 380°F (193°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping once and spraying with oil for crispiness.
- What else can I stuff arancini with?
- Besides mozzarella, try filling them with:
- Cooked sausage or prosciutto
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Spinach and ricotta
- Pesto
- Sun-dried tomatoes with goat cheese
- Can I make mini arancini? Absolutely! Use about 2 tablespoons of risotto per ball and adjust the cooking time slightly—fry for 2–3 minutes less.
- Why does the risotto need to be cold? Cold risotto holds its shape better when forming the balls. Warm risotto will be too sticky and soft.
- Do I need to use homemade risotto? Nope! While I recommend homemade risotto for best results, you can use store-bought or leftover restaurant risotto.
- Can I use risotto I just made instead of day-old? Yes, but let it cool completely before forming into balls. Spread the hot risotto on a baking sheet in a thin layer to speed up the cooling process. Once cool, chill it in the fridge for 30–60 minutes to help it firm up before shaping and breading.
More Arancini and Risotto Recipes to Love
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Arancini Italian Rice Balls
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
These golden-fried Arancini Italian Rice Balls are crispy on the outside, cheesy on the inside, and irresistible with a side of marinara.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chilled cooked risotto (see my Creamy Parmesan Risotto recipe)
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- Neutral oil for deep frying
- Optional: Marinara sauce and fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the dredge setup. In one shallow bowl, mix the flour with the salt. In another, beat the eggs. In a third bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of risotto into your hand. Wet your hands to prevent sticking. Flatten it slightly.
- Place a cube of mozzarella in the center and wrap the risotto around the cheese to form a ball.
- Dredge each ball in flour, then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally roll in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture, until fully coated.
- Repeat with the remaining risotto while you heat the oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully lower the arancini into the hot oil. Fry in batches, turning with two spoons to ensure even browning.
- Once golden and crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with salt.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce, extra grated Parmesan, and fresh basil.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Use leftover chilled risotto. If using freshly made risotto, place in the fridge to chill.
- Wet your hands slightly to prevent the rice from sticking when forming the balls.
- Cut mozzarella into small cubes (about 1/2 inch) for even melting and easy shaping.
- Press the risotto firmly around the cheese to prevent leaks while frying.
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and maintain temperature between batches.
- If the oil is too hot, the cheese will not melt.
- Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding and temperature drops.
- Arancini are done when golden brown and crispy all over (about 3–4 minutes per batch).
- Salt immediately after frying.
- Serve with warm marinara, extra Parmesan, and fresh basil for garnish.
- Makes 16 arancini, serving 6 to 8 people.
- Bread the arancini and refrigerate up to a day before frying.
- Customize the filling by adding meats, sauce, vegetables, or other cheeses to suit your taste.
- Can be frozen before frying for future use—just fry or bake from frozen.
- To reheat leftovers, use oven or air fryer, for best crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American/Italian
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WELCOME! My name is Melissa Latin aka. Charlotte Fashion Plate. Happy to meet you! I am more than just recipes. I love fashion and style too! Most importantly, I love my Family (my Hubby and my Fur Babies). My Husband (aka my “Kitchen Bitch”) means the world to me. He’s pretty damn cool too. Not only is he one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, he also has had a lengthy career in professional hockey. Not only winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ’90’s, but most recently winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, amongst many other accolades. If you live in Charlotte and play hockey, or have a family member who plays, be sure to contact him!
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[…] out super rich and creamy, with just enough bite to the rice. Make extra to try out my recipe for Arancini the next day. There are so many different types of risotto recipes. As long as you get this base […]