Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

How do you stop arancini from falling apart? ›

How do I keep my arancini from falling apart? If your arancini consistently falls apart, you're likely skipping one crucial step: chilling your risotto for long enough. After cooking your risotto, make sure you're chilling in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but up to 6.

Differences. There are two main recipes of the fried rice balls: the Roman suppli, and the Sicilian arancino. The main difference between the fried rice balls is that suppli are made with arborio rice and mozzarella, while arancini are made with arborio rice, mozzarella, and the addition of beef and peas.

Arancini are essentially breaded and fried balls of risotto with a stuffed center; in this case mozzarella cheese. The cooled risotto is rolled into balls, stuffed with the filling, and dredged in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, before frying until crispy and golden.

But what do you serve with arancini balls? Good question and the answer is limitless. These deep fried risotto balls pair well with pretty much any Italian-based dish and depending on what's inside them you can serve with vegetables, salads, relish or pasta. Stick with classic Italian flavours and you can't go wrong.

If you don't have a lot of time to chill the rice, make sure it's spread out as thin as possible. It's important for the starches to gel in order for the rice balls to stick together. The minimum amount of time that I have chilled the rice is 1 hour, and the arancini held together successfully.

Give just enough pressure. Your hands should be firm enough when pressing the onigiri so the rice doesn't fall apart when you shape it. You don't want to squeeze the rice too tight.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS: To make the arancini ahead of time, simply let them cool to room temperature on the paper towel-lined baking sheet after frying. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C).

Arancini (UK: /ˌærənˈtʃiːni/, US: /ˌɑːr-/, Italian: [aranˈtʃiːni]; Sicilian: [aɾanˈtʃiːnɪ, -ˈdʒiː-]; sg. : arancino), also known as arancine ( sg. : arancina), are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. They are a staple of Sicilian cuisine.

Notes. Use Freshly Cooked Rice: For the best results, it's generally recommended to use freshly cooked rice when making onigiri. Freshly cooked rice is warm, moist, and sticky, which makes it easier to shape into the desired form and ensures that the onigiri holds together well.

For onigiri that holds its shape well, it's important to use short-grain Japonica rice, such as “sushi” rice, a category that includes Calrose and Koshihikari rice and, as Sho notes, simply refers to varieties of rice preferred in Japan.

Is it better to freeze arancini, cooked or uncooked? ›

Pro tip: arancini can be frozen before or after being fried. If you freeze them before, just fry them like you normally would and finish cooking them in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

It seems the first documented form of arancini date back to the 19th century. Surprisingly, the first arancini were sweet and were made using ingredients such as ricotta cheese, sugar, spices, and milk. With the arrival of ingredients from the “New World” everything changed.

The arancini should be eaten right away, but can be kept warm in the oven for a bit, until all are fried. These were so good right out of the oil, we found ourselves eating them out of one hand while holding a glass of wine in the other.

Arancini, although high in calories and fat due to its traditional preparation methods, can be a part of a balanced diet aiding in weight loss, thanks to carbs for energy, protein for satiety, and fiber and vitamins from vegetables. However, portion control is crucial.

Simple ingredients – You probably have most of them in your kitchen. Rice, cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, your favorite jarred or homemade marinara—basic stuff. They're baked – Cheesy rice balls are often deep-fried, but these are baked, which, combined with brown rice and whole wheat flour, make them relatively healthy.

I like to add about 1/4 cup more water per cup of rice to make it stickier.

Be sure to freeze your rice until it's firm enough to cut through easily. This not only helps with the cutting process but also helps when frying. If it's not cold enough, the rice blocks fall apart when you're frying them.

You have to be using a short grain, sticky or sushi rice, it's the starch that really helps it stick. The longer the grain doesn't have as much starch in it so it wont stick together the same way. A lot the common rices you find used in American food are longer grain and that wont stick really well.

Should you choose to make your onigiri the night before serving, cover them with plastic wrap or keep in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Even stored this way, your onigiri will taste best within 24 hours, as the rice will begin to dry out.