Italian Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (Sicilian)
A classic Sicilian recipe for Italian Arancini rice balls! With saffron-seasoned rice, ragù and peas and (optional) a bit of Italian cheese.
Equipment
- 1 arancini making form optional
- 1 frying tool deep fryer, pan to fry or air fryer
Ingredients
Arancini Rice
- 4 cups carnaroli rice or arborio
- 3 ½ oz provolone cheese cubed (caciocavallo; alternative: Tuma cheese)
- 5 tbsp butter
- 2 packets saffron 2 packets = about ⅛ tsp
- water according to package instructions
Ragù Filling
- 10.6 oz ground beef we ask the butcher to blend some pancetta with the beef for best flavor and texture :)
- 5 oz peas fresh or frozen
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1 medium carrot minced
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 7 oz tomato puree
- 1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
- 4 tbsp dry white wine
- fine salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil to sauté the onion, carrot and celery
Batter and Breadcrumbs (Coating)
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 cup water
- 4 ½ cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
Frying Oil or Air Fry
- peanut for deep frying: or similar 'high heat' friendly oil
- olive oil spray for air frying: olive oil spray - spray generously on outside of all arancini for the crispiest finish!
Instructions
Make the Arancini Rice
- Combine the rice, water and saffron. Cook the rice according to package instructions.4 cups carnaroli rice, 2 packets saffron, water
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the butter (off the heat).5 tbsp butter
- Spread the rice on pieces of parchment paper in layers about 1" thick. Cover with another layer of parchment paper. Let the rice cool completely.You can prepare the rice the day before you plan to make the arancini.
Make the Arancini Filling (Ragu)
- Cover the bottom of a pot with olive oil. Over medium heat, add the minced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent.1 medium onion, 1 medium carrot, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 stalk celery
- Add the ground beef to the sautéed veggies and cook until browned. Add the wine to deglaze the pan.10.6 oz ground beef
- Stir in the tomato paste and tomato sauce.1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste, 7 oz tomato puree
- Simmer the ragù over medium heat for about 40 minutes. Add water if needed to avoid burning the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.black pepper, fine salt
- Add the peas in during the final 10 minutes to heat them and combine them with the ragù.5 oz peas
- Let the ragù cool. Then add the diced cheese (optional).3 ½ oz provolone cheese
Shape the Arancini
- Arancini have a few different traditional forms and sizes. We prefer to use an arancini mould ("Made in Italy" of course!) to fill and form the arancini. To do this:
- Fill the arancini mould with the chilled rice.
- Use the 'plunger' to create a cavity for the filling.
- Fill the cavity with a few tablespoons of cold filling (ragù with peas and the cheese).
- Then, top the filling with more rice and tap the top of the mould to close.
- Take the lid off the mould, turn it over and the arancini should slide right out! It's far easier to quickly make arancini with a mould like the one we are demonstrating (Made in Sicily).
Bread the Arancini
- Create a batter with the egg, water and flour. Create a dredging station, wich the batter and a shallow pan of breadcrumbs.2 whole eggs, 1 ¼ cups flour, 1 cup water
- Coat each arancino with batter...4 ½ cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
- ...Then coat with breadcrumbs. Repeat until all of the arancini have been breaded.
Deep Fry or Air Fry the Arancini
- Deep fry the breaded arancini using an oil with a high smoke point. Fry until golden.peanut
- Or, you can air fry the arancini! You can air fry arancini frozen or thawed. Be sure to spray the crisper plate if your air fryer has one, but also give each arancino a generous spray of air-fryer friendly oil.olive oil spray
- If air frying the arancini frozen, you'll want to air fry at 205°C (400°F) for about 15 minutes. Ideally, you should cook the arancini partially thawed. In this case, it will take less time for the arancini to heat through and become golden and crispy on the outside.
- The deep fried arancini are slightly tastier, but the air fried versions are still delicious! Buon appetito!
Video
Notes
Use an Arancini Mould!
It is SO MUCH easier to use a mould to make arancini. You will be able to make dozens in an hour and each arancino will be perfect. We highly recommend the 'Arancinotto' (affiliate link) we used in the video recipe. It is made in Sicily and is so easy to use and you can find it on Amazon.
If you have an efficient system for making the arancini, it's easy to stockpile and freeze these lovely rice balls for a quick dinner or party.
Deep Fry... Or Air Fry?
Honestly, nothing beats deep fried arancini. They are slightly crispier and evenly golden. However, deep frying can be a stinky and messy process. Plus, the arancini will definitely absorb more oil than the air fried alternatives.
We think the air fryer does a great job with 'frying' Italian foods like arancini (and similar dishes like breaded suppli). The outside will still be golden and crispy with a lot less oil. And cleanup is a breeze.
To Cheese or Not to Cheese?
Cheese is optional in arancini. Even among Sicilians, there are disagreements as to whether or not its traditional.
Freeze?
Sure! Arancini freeze wonderfully! Obviously, you'll want to put them in the freezer on a flat tray until they are solid. Then you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for more efficient storage.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!