These appetizer arancini bites are tasty on their own or dipped into some marinara sauce. While they taste best served warm, they can easily be made in advance and reheated in the oven. If you love risotto, then you’ll want to give these a try!
Arancini are Italian rice balls made from risotto that are coated in dried bread crumbs and deep fried. They are absolutely delicious, and are commonly eaten as a snack or street food in Sicily. Typically, they contain a meat sauce, preserved meat, or cheese in the center. They are absolutely delicious!
This recipe here is a staple in our house for our appetizer nights. They’re easy to make and require ingredients that we typically have on hand. It’s also a nice balance to a variety of other appetizers that are served alongside, including Asian meatballs, Roasted Jalapeno Poppers, Bacon-Wrapped Dates filled with Goat Cheese, Chicken Wings with Mango Barbeque Sauce, or Butter Bean dip. Plus, the kids devour them up!
Often when you buy these at an Italian market, they are considerably larger. That’s why I call these “Appetizer Arancini Bites”, kind of like to Two-Bite Brownies that you can buy at the grocery store. These seem to be more of an appropriate size when filling a plate with many of the appetizers listed above or served with a Charcuterie board. Because these Arancini are on the smaller size, I don’t include any filling. They could certainly be made a bit larger and stuffed with cheese or a meat sauce. Just know that the overall quantity will be adjusted.
While Arancini are not particularly difficult to make, they do require a bit of pre-planning. First, you’ll need to make a batch of risotto. This takes about 25 minutes altogether. Next, you’ll want to cool the risotto in the fridge for at least an hour, as this makes it easier to form into balls, and also prevents them from falling apart in the deep fryer. Next, you need to form the balls and coat them in an egg mixture, then a bread crumb mixture, finally tossing them into oil to be fried at about 5 minutes a batch. Pre-planning helps ensure that everything is ready for when it needs to be!
What’s great about these is that they can be fully prepared in advance, or even just steps of it. They can easily be reheated in the oven from frozen or from in the fridge, retaining their crispy outer shell. I often freeze left overs to have for another time.
The hardest part of this recipe is making the risotto, which is not necessarily a hard thing to do. It just requires your attention for a solid 25 minutes. Risotto is made using either arborio or carnaroli rice, in which you continually add hot broth to the pot to cook it until it reaches a creamy consistency. To start off, you cook some onions in butter, then add some white wine. Next, add the rice and add ladleful’s of the stock until it is cooked. Finish it off with some heavy cream, parmigiana, and fresh herbs, and now you have a delicious risotto for your arancini. At this point, you may even just change your mind and eat this all on its own! I wouldn’t blame you!
Once the risotto is completed, transfer it to a container or dish to cool in the fridge. All of that creaminess will solidify which helps the arancini to hold its shape. This is definitely a step that cannot be skipped!
To serve the arancini, they are tasty enough on their own, or feel free to serve with some marinara sauce for dipping. They are best served warm, especially if using a filling like cheese, as it really allows for that gooey, creamy texture. I think I may need to go make another fresh batch now!
So let’s get to it!
Appetizer Arancini Bites Ingredients
Butter – Whether you have unsalted or salted butter in the house, either is fine in this recipe. If you are using salted butter, then you can reduce or omit the salt later in the recipe. Butter adds to the classic, creamy richness that risotto is known for.
Onion – Regular yellow onions are great in this recipe. Large white onions would also be great, as they are slightly sweeter. You’ll want to ensure that they are diced evenly. If you’re unsure how to efficiently chop an onion, there are many great online videos out there. There are also many great tips for how to reduce crying while chopping onions; feel free to add your strategies in the comments section, as man, I have had some bad ones!
Arborio or Carnaroli Rice – Arborio is a short-grain rice that is most commonly used when making risotto. They are different from other types of rice. Arborio rice is high in amylopectin, a starch, that is released during the cooking process. This results in a cooked texture that is chewy, yet creamy,and the individual grains retain their slightly rounded shape. In comparison to Carnaroli rice, Arborio rice is wider and longer, and less starchy than its counterpart. Because Carnaroli is starchier, it is believed to produce the creamiest risotto. It is also said to be more forgiving and less likely to overcook than Arborio rice. In the end, either will work in this recipe.
Stock – You can use either vegetable or chicken stock in this recipe. It comes down to your preference. I keep a bottle of the concentrate in my pantry so that I always have some on hand, as I do prefer the added flavor of the stock.
Heavy Cream – Heavy cream certainly adds a distinctive richness to the risotto. There really is nothing like it! However, if you don’t have any on hand, or you want to use something a bit on the lighter side, there are alternatives. The next closest alternative is using half-and-half cream with a bit of melted butter.
Parmigiana Reggiano (optional) – Also known as parmesan, is an Italian hardened cheese made from cow’s milk that is known for its rich flavor and granular texture. It is absolutely delicious when added fresh to any risotto!
Fresh Herbs – Depending on what flavour profile you’ve been building with your risotto, add any fresh herbs. Basil, parsley, and oregano are great options for this dish!
Eggs –Eggs are used in 2 parts here. When an egg is added to the risotto, it helps to bind the ingredients together, and helps them to retain their shape. I have made these without adding an egg, and have add no issues with the arancini when being fried. Eggs are also used to help the breadcrumbs adhere to the risotto balls, resulting in a crunch outer layer.
All-Purpose Flour – Typically, I keep it simple with using an all-purpose flour for this recipe. To measure, spoon the flour into a measuring cup, and then level it off with the back edge of a butter knife.
Bread Crumbs – Regular bread crumbs are used here to help create the crunchy outer layer. Feel free to add dried Italian seasoning for a flavour boost.
Vegetable Oil – Vegetable oil is ideal for deep-frying due to its high smoke point and neutral flavour. You could also use canola oil or peanut oil to achieve the same result. Vegetable oil can reach a smoke point between 400°-450°F, depending on whether is it made from 100% soy beans or if it contains other oils that may include sunflower or corn oil.
Appetizer Arancini Bites Tools
Below are some kitchen tools that although they may not be required, are certainly great to have in the kitchen.
Small Heavy-bottomed sauce pan – You will need to use a small sauce pan to heat the stock for making the risotto.
Medium Heavy-bottomed sauce pan – You will need to use a medium-sized sauce pan to cook the risotto.
Grater – If you’re going to grate the parmigiana, you will want to use a medium coarse grater. Be sure to use extra caution as they sure are sharp!
Cookie Dough Scoop (optional) – this tool is a game changer for me. I use it in all sorts of recipes, from baking to appetizers. It makes measuring the arancini balls consistent, so that each of them are the same size. I have these in all different sizes because they are so worth it! There’s nothing wrong with using your hands or a spoon if you don’t have one of these, but these are certainly worth having on hand! You only need a small scoop here.
Shallow dishes x 3 – you’ll want to set up a bit of an assembly line when you are preparing the arancini to be deep fried. One dish will be used for the flour; one for the beaten eggs; and one for the bread crumb mixture. I also have a tray at the end of it to collect all of the pieces once they are ready to be fried.
Glass dish – I use a 9×9 casserole dish to pour the cooked risotto into. This helps it cool well within an hour. It also comes with its own lid which makes it a convenient option.
Deep Fryer – While a pot of oil cooking on the stove is one way to do this, I prefer to use a deep fryer appliance. This is because, the temperature will remain more consistent, and it comes with a mesh basket that fits it perfectly, making it convenient when making a large batch. I also like that most of its parts are dishwasher safe, minus the heating element, making cleanup a breeze. I recommend looking for one that has an oil storage container, that way with certain recipes, you can reuse the cooking oil.
Spider – also known as a wok skimmer, or a wire skimmer. If you own a deep fryer, chances are you probably own one of these. They are super handy when dealing with a deep fryer, as they typically have a long handle with a basket that is similar to a spider’s web (hence the name!). These are much safer than using a slotted spoon!
Measuring cups and spoons – this recipe uses standard measuring tools. Be sure to level each of the measured ingredients (I typically use a knife). You will also want a liquid measuring cup for the stock.
Baking Sheet or Tray lined with a cooking rack and paper towel – Having this set up for while the arancini pieces are frying is very helpful. The arancini bites themselves do not give off a lot of oil; it’s more to catch the oil from either the spider or the basket. You’ll want to use a cooling rack, as this prevents the arancini from becoming soggy. You want to preserve that crispiness!
If reheating these:
Baking Sheet & Aluminum Foil– To make for easy cleanup, I line the baking sheets with aluminum foil. Next, I place a cooling rack that fits the baking sheet on top. This keeps them nice and crispy!
In addition you will also need a ladle, a spatula, a chef’s knife and a chopping board.
Appetizer Arancini
These appetizer arancini bites are tasty on their own or dipped into some marinara sauce. While they taste best served warm, they can easily be made in advance and reheated in the oven. If you love risotto, then you’ll want to give these a try!
24
individual25
minutes1
hour15
minutesIngredients
3 tbsp. butter
1 cup onion, diced finely
1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
4 cups stock, chicken or vegetable
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, grated finely
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. fresh herbs, diced (basil, parsley, thyme are all great choices)
Salt and Pepper to taste
- For Frying
3 -4 eggs
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fine bread crumbs,
Italian Seasoning (optional)
Vegetable Oil, for deep frying
Marinara Sauce (for serving)
Directions
- In a small saucepan, heat the stock. Once heated through, set aside, covered, until ready to use.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in diced onions, and sauté until the onions are cooked, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes. The rice should become opaque and fragrant.
- Add the white wine to the pot, stirring the rice until it is all absorbed. Begin to add the stock in ½ cup ladlefuls. Continue to stir the rice as you do so, ensuring that all liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful. Cook, stirring often, until the risotto becomes creamy and the rice is just tender, for about 20 minutes.
- Add in the heavy cream, Parmigiana-Reggiano, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish, and allow the risotto to cool completely. Refrigerate and chill for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Once cooled, remove from the fridge and stir in an egg. Using a spoon or a cookie dough scoop, divide the risotto into 2 tablespoon portions.
- Next, set up an assembly line: One dish will be used for the flour; one for the beaten eggs; and one for the bread crumb mixture. Have a tray at the end of it to collect all of the arancini once they are ready to be fried. Dip each ball first into the flour mixture, then the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.
- Once you are ready to fry, heat oil to 350°F. Fry the arancini balls in batches, for about 4-5 minutes, or until nicely golden brown.
- Remove the pieces using either a spider or slotted spoon. Let them drain on to paper towel on cooling rack on a baking sheet or tray lined with a cooling rack. Continue to do this with all of the arancini balls.
- These can be served right away. If you are making them in advance, they can be reheated in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
- Serve with marinara sauce on the side.
- Enjoy!
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