This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through links. I will only recommend products that I have personally used! Learn more on my Private Policy page.
Arancini Recipe
We are continuing our journey through Italy. It began with Italian Meatballs and followed with an Italian Meatball Sandwich. The meatballs were part of our dinner with our friends and the sandwich was lunch the next day. I have a number of other posts to round out this trip and the dinner we hosted but those will have to wait. This Arancini Recipe was my appetizers. I have made these Arancini balls before but it has been 3 years. This has happened to so many of us bloggers. We enjoy learning about so many different foods and want to try so many different recipes that we do not get much of a chance to repeat recipes.
Arancini Recipe
I love arancinis. You don’t often see these risotto balls on Italian menus. So whenever I see them on the menu, I almost always order them. Having made them before made it super easy to make them again. In a perfect world, you need a day and a night to make these. It is so much easier to be able to make the risotto the night before. Then, you can put the risotto on a baking tray and let in get cool. Having cool risotto makes it really easy to roll the balls.
Making arancinis is just like making chicken milanese. You begin with a dredging station of flour, and egg wash and breadcrumbs. You take the risotto from the trays and roll it in your hands into a ball. Then, the risotto balls are rolled through the flour. Followed by rolling through the egg wash and finished off in the breadcrumbs. They breaded risotto balls are dropped in hot oil and cooked for a few minutes until browned. Just like my chicken milanese, they are finished off in the oven to warm and cook all the way through.
The cast of characters.
Ingredients
The leeks in the skillet and the spices added.
Leeks in Skillet
Spices Added to Leeks
The making of the risotto beginning with the rice, then the stock and finally the cheese and butter.
Arborio Rice Added
Stock Added
Cheese & Butter Added
The risotto on the tray cooling, and then, the balls rolled.
Risotto on Tray
Risotto Balls on Trays
Dredging station, risotto balls dredged, and then, out of the oven.
Dredging Station
Risotto Balls Breaded
Out of Oven
The final Arancini Recipe plated.
Arancini Recipe Plated
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 of a leek (the white part down to the 1/2 of the green part)
- 2 1/2 cups of arborio rice
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 1 tablespoons Italian Seasonings
- 1 cup of White Cooking Wine
- 4 - 5 cups of chicken stock
- 3/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups of Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup of mozzarella
- Melt the butter in a skillet.
- Add 3/4 the leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes
- Add 2 1/2 cups of arborio rice and cook for 1 - 2 minutes
- Add ground cumin, smoked paprika and the Italian seasonings, and mix well
- Add 1 cup of white wine to the rice mixture and cook until it evaporates
- Start adding the warm stock to the rice 1 cup at a time – make sure your stove is on medium heat, it needs to be pretty warm to create the creaminess that makes risotto so good
- Finish with the last cup of stock and add the shaved parmesan and remove to a tray and allow to cool (I kept it in the fridge overnight)
- Set up a typical dredging station with flour, eggs and breadcrumbs
- Roll the risotto into balls and stuff with cubed fresh mozzarella and then take through the dredging station – flour, egg wash and then the breadcrumbs
- Place in a skillet filled with oil heated to 350 degrees.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finish by baking for 8 - 10 minutes at 325 degrees.
We (and by we I mean my spouse because I have no cooking skills to speak of) love making Italian food at home. We had this last at this fancy Italian place downtown and loved it. We can’t wait to try and make it at home. Thanks for the recipe!
I did not have a lot of cooking skills when I started my blog but practice has really helped me grow.
Its so true, very rarely do the dishes that I love make it back into rotation due to making new dishes and experimenting. These babies look fantastic.
You know exactly what I am saying Sara. The only negative is that we make some things that are really good and take so long to make them again.
Peter, you are a genius. I can never muster the courage to make arancini at home. Just too many things I can fudge up 🙂
I am pinning this as an inspiration. A weekend project for sure. 🙂
Cheers!
Can I share the genius comment with my wife? LOL Give a try. It is not that hard. My guests thought these were awesome. That was very rewarding.
I love arancini but have never tried it at home. I have mastered a risotto and the art of frying – with this recipe it shouldn’t be that hard!
Renee, you need to give a try then. You have all the steps down.
Arancini’s are AMAZING! Thanks for the recipe.
They are so worth the effort!
I think it’s been a few years since I’ve made arancini too. Your recipe looks so good, I think I’m going to have to give them a try again!
Do it. They are so good!
These look amazing, one of my fave things on the planet!!
Glad you like them.
I love leeks! This look so tasty. I can’t wait to try these.
Leeks add really good flavor to this recipe.
These Arancini look delicious!! I wish I could have one now.
I used to eat it so often when I lived just a bus ride away from the Italian District in Sydney. Absolutely one of my favourite things to eat in the world! 🙂
That is funny. I love these and do not make them often. I forget how good they are.
arancini are my favorite yours look yummy!
Thx Theresa.
I love great meatballs…and these certainly look great. Perfect for sandwiches and on top of pasta too.
I grew up eating these! I love them and I should probably get my Zia’s recipe from her. These look so good! Total comfort food for me.
You have to get your Zia’s recipe. These are the types of things we bloggers totally appreciate and can keep family memories going!