Arancini Made With Leftover Risotto
Have you ever tried Arancini? An Italian appetizer made using risotto filled with cheese, breaded and deep fried to crispy perfection. And Arancini Made with Leftover Risotto keeps the time down and you can have them a whole lot faster!
Servings: 20 Arancini Balls
Calories: 157kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups Risotto you choice of which kind you use
- 1 fresh mozzarella ball cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup flour
- 2 whole eggs beaten
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out balls of rice, about the size of a golf ball. Form them into patties and lay out on a baking tray.
- In the center of each rice patty, place a cube or two (depending on the size) of the fresh mozzarella. Using both hands, fold the rice completely around the mozzarella making sure it is completely encased in the rice.
- Put the flour in one bowl. The breadcrumbs in another bowl. And whisk the eggs into another bowl.
- Lightly roll each Arancini ball in the flour, then dip in the egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. Repeat for all balls. Put them on a large plate or a baking tray.
- Pour vegetable oil into a heavy bottomed saucepan set over medium heat. You want enough oil to go up about 2 - 3 inches of the pan. The oil needs to reach about 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
- Fry the Arancini balls in batches. Cook each side for 3 - 4 minutes. They will be fully cooked when they are dark golden brown.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. They are great on their own but you can serve with dipping sauce of your choice.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Notes
- Leftover risotto works best - It's best to work with cold risotto when making this risotto. It holds together much better than freshly made risotto. If using fresh made risotto, let it stand a few hours before trying to form it into balls.
- Set up an efficient working station - For these Arancini balls we are dipping them into egg, flour and bread crumbs. So you want to be organized and make sure you have everything set up before you start making the rice balls. This will make the process much easier.
- Make sure they are sealed properly - after you add the cheese to the center, make sure it's is completely sealed inside the rice. Otherwise, you risk the cheese coming out while frying.
- Fry at the correct temperature - test the oil before adding a batch or arancini balls to the saucepan. Add one ball and make sure it sizzles. If it doesn't sizzle, it means the oil isn't hot enough. If oil isn't hot enough when frying, the arancini will absorb the oil and they will be greasy. The best temperature for frying these is 350 degrees C/180 f
Nutrition Facts
Arancini Made With Leftover Risotto
Amount Per Serving (1 Arancini Ball)
Calories 157
Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 60mg3%
Potassium 44mg1%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.