by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Refrigeration Time
2 hours 10 minutes
Yield
20 arancini
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Yield
20 arancini
summary
Arancini are cheese-stuffed fried rice balls that are the perfect small bite for aperitivo hour. We’ve taken the hassle of deep frying out of the equation by perfecting this crispy treat in an air fryer. If you want tasty arancini, there is no way around making risotto, but we made one that is super simple and worth every effort.
ingredients
- Risotto Ingredients:
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- â…“ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Arancini Ingredients:
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup plain bread crumbs
- Olive oil spray
directions
- Warm the broth in a saucepan over low heat.
- In a skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring often, until translucent, but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 more seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and cook until liquid is completely absorbed.
- Add one ladle of warm broth to the pan, stirring until the rice has absorbed the broth. Continuously stirring, add the remaining broth, one ladle at a time, allowing each addition to completely absorb before adding the next. This will take about 25 minutes. Once this is complete, stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Taste the risotto and add salt and pepper, as needed. Allow the risotto to cool and then spread the risotto out onto a sheet pan. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24.
- Using your hands, take about 2 tablespoons of chilled risotto and make a small patty. Place a cube of mozzarella into the middle and then form into a tight ball, enclosing the cheese in the middle. Repeat with all of the risotto.
- Place the flour into a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the eggs in a second bowl and beat well. Place the bread crumbs into a third bowl. Working with one at a time, dip each ball into flour, then egg and finally bread crumbs. Place on a clean plate and repeat this process with all the balls. Transfer the plate to the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 425°F. Remove the arancini from the refrigerator and spray each, all over, with olive oil spray. Place in a single layer, with room in between and, working in batches if needed, into the basket of the air fryer. Air fry for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Let cool slightly and serve.
notes
If you don’t have olive oil spray, you can use non-stick cooking spray. We like the flavor and color that olive oil gives the arancini.
You can fill these with other cheeses including provolone and blue cheese.
You will not get as deep of a golden brown crust from the air fryer that you would from deep frying, but the ease is worth that small change.
You can make the risotto up to 3 days in advance.
Do not skip the step of chilling the arancini twice; this helps to keep them together.
You can use panko for this air fryer arancini recipe but if you do, pulse them in your food processor until you have fine bread crumbs.
