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rss-bridge 2026-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

My Cheesy Italian Rice Balls Are Everyone's Favorite Appetizer

They’re just that good.
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  • Recipes
  • Appetizers & Snacks

Best-Ever Arancini

Danny Palumbo

Christine GallarySenior Recipe Editor

published 2 days ago

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[arancini on a plate with a bowl of marinara sauce, with one broken open]

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

This classic Italian appetizer relies on creamy risotto and mozzarella for a cheesy and flavorful bite.

Serves10

Makes20 (2-inch) arancini

Prep45 minutes

Cook1 hour

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[arancini on a plate with a bowl of marinara sauce, with one broken open]

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

Quick Overview

Why You’ll Love It

  • Every bite is crisp and flavorful. Thanks to the inclusion of white wine, white pepper, butter, onion, and mozzarella cheese.
  • Great for special occasions. Since arancini are a labor of love, this isn’t an everyday dish. It’s the perfect appetizer for when you’re planning to go all out on a special occasion.

The truth about arancini is that it’s a labor of love. You must make risotto, a process which requires constant attention. After the risotto chills for a couple hours, you have to employ a three-step breading process before frying the stuffed rice balls in hot oil. From start to finish, the process can take a whole afternoon. However, trust me when I say that the payoff is huge. Few things are as satisfying as a rich, gooey arancini.

With arancini, there are multiple paths to flavor. I like to add more wine than typical, lots of onion, butter, and white pepper. The wine imparts a wonderful, fermented tang, and the white pepper some grassiness. It would be a crime to make arancini too bland, so don’t be afraid to experiment with ingredients as you see fit. The risotto is excellent on its own, so feel free to sneak a couple bites in before you start rolling your arancini.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

Straight from Our Recipe Tester

*“These are substantial arancini! They are very crisp and flavorful, and it’s fun to have the mozzarella surprise in the middle. This makes a large batch, so I recommend breaking up the prep into a few stages, like making the risotto the day before. The leftovers reheated fabulously in the oven.” *—Christine, February 2026

Key Ingredients in Arancini

  • Arborio rice: This high-in-starch rice is the base for these arancini. It’s both creamy and toothsome.
  • Onion and garlic: Lots of both provide a strong bite.
  • White wine: When the rice absorbs the wine, it imparts a lovely fermented flavor.
  • Low-sodium chicken broth: Imbues the rice with a meaty taste while cooking it to proper tenderness.
  • White pepper: A key ingredient in these arancini, which brings grassy heat.
  • Fresh mozzarella: Use gooey whole-milk cheese for a cheese pull.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

How to Make Arancini

  • Cook onion and garlic. Soften the aromatics with butter, add dried Italian seasoning, then add the rice.
  • Cook rice. Reduce white wine, then slowly add hot chicken stock until the rice absorbs all the liquid. Add butter, cream, white pepper, and Pecorino Romano off the heat. Stir to incorporate.
  • Chill risotto. On a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, spread the risotto out, then let it chill in the fridge for a couple hours.
  • Stuff arancini. Cut the chilled risotto into squares, and stuff each one with some fresh mozzarella.
  • Fry arancini. Fry the arancini until golden brown all over.

Helpful Swaps

  • Swap carnaroli rice for arborio rice if it’s easier.
  • Pecorino Romano can be swapped with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

  • Risotto can be made a day in advance of frying.
  • Store the cooked arancini in a fridge for up to 3 days, or uncooked in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months. haw in the refrigerator overnight. Recrisp in a 400°F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.

What to Serve With Arancini

Comments

Arancini Recipe

This classic Italian appetizer relies on creamy risotto and mozzarella for a cheesy and flavorful bite.

Prep time 45 minutes

Cook time 1 hour

Makes 20 (2-inch) arancini

Serves 10

Nutritional Info

  • Calories 862
  • Fat 64.8 g (83.0%)
  • Saturated 17.0 g (72.6%)
  • Carbs 45.5 g (15.5%)
  • Fiber 2.2 g (5.7%)
  • Sugars 2.7 g
  • Protein 22.3 g (19.0%)
  • Sodium 744.5 mg (49.6%)

Ingredients

For the risotto

  • 1 (32-ounce) carton

low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (4 cups)

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)

unsalted butter, divided

  • 1

large sweet or yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)

  • 1 teaspoon

kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

  • 5 cloves

garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon

dried Italian seasoning

  • 1 1/2 cups

arborio rice

  • 3/4 cup

dry white wine

  • 4 ounces

Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)

  • 1/2 teaspoon

ground white pepper

For the arancini

  • 20 (1/2-inch) cubes

fresh mozzarella cheese (from about 4 ounces)

  • 5 cups

canola or vegetable oil, for frying

  • 2

large eggs

  • 3/4 cup

all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups

panko breadcrumbs

Warm marinara sauce, for dipping

Instructions

Make the risotto

Bring 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven or high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add 1 large diced sweet onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Sauté until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 5 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in 1 1/2 cups arborio rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the grains turn translucent around the edges, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup dry white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until absorbed into the rice, about 1 minute.

Ladle in about 1/2 cup of the warm broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the broth is absorbed. Repeat ladling in the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time and cook, stirring often, until the rice is cooked through but retains some bite and the broth is almost fully absorbed. The total cooking time will be about 20 minutes from when the first ladle of broth was added. (If you run out of broth, use hot water.)

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper until the cheese and butter are melted and the risotto is creamy. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

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