Crispy mushroom arancini stuffed with melty mozzarella and deep fried to a crisp, golden brown served with roasted tomato sauce is a great appetizer.
Isn’t risotto just the best? I can’t get over how every single bowl I eat, I fall deeper and deeper in love with it. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll know that I am not shy about my intense passion for risotto. The sheer volume of risotto recipes on this website is testament to that. There’s just something about bowl-food that I can’t get enough of.
After making my mushroom risotto recipe a few weeks ago, I decided to use the leftovers to make my second-favourite risotto recipe: Arancini. I love using leftover risotto to make risotto balls. And these arancini with their melty mozzarella middles are absolutely delicious. In fact, I make too much risotto often just so that I can make these little tasty bites.
How to make Arancini
Using cold risotto, form balls the size of golf balls. Stuff a small cube of mozzarella into the center of each rice ball then roll in between your hands. Cover the balls first in flour, then in beaten egg and finally in breadcrumbs. Fry the risotto balls in a pot of hot oil until golden brown and crisp. Remove and allow to drain on kitchen towel before serving with roasted tomato sauce.
What to serve with Arancini
To make the roasted tomato sauce, pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes with all the flavorings in a baking dish and place in the oven. Allow to roast for 30-45 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized. Remove from the oven then blend in a food processor or blender and serve with the fried arancini.
Can you freeze Arancini?
Yes, you can. Assemble the arancini balls then cover them in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Transfer the balls to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Fry from frozen until the balls are golden brown and heated through.
Risotto recipes
- Lemon risotto with pan-roasted chicken
- Date night pork fillet with mushroom risotto
- Roasted pumpkin risotto with haloumi and chilli syrup
- Cauliflower risotto with truffle oil
Mushroom arancini with roasted tomato sauce
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups cold mushroom risotto
- 1/2-1 cup mozzarella cubes depending on how many arancini you make
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper
- oil for frying
for the roasted tomato sauce
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the roasted tomato sauce, pre-heat the oven to 200ºc.
- Place the cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, Balsamic vinegar, sugar and thyme in a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven.
- Allow to roast for 45 minutes until the tomatoes are soft then transfer to a blender and blend to your desired consistency. Set aside.
- To make the arancini, take small handfuls of the cold risotto and place a cube of mozzarella in the centre. Enclose the mozzarella then roll into a ball and cover with the breadcrumbs. Set on a plate and repeat until all the risotto has been used.
- Fry the arancini in hot oil until golden brown and the mozzarella inside has melted.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve with roasted tomato sauce.
Nutrition
Have you tried making these gluten free with gluten free flour and gluten free breadcrumbs? Do they crisp up the same? Do you have any tips for making these gluten free?
No, I haven’t. If you do try it please let me know how it turned out.
These look amazing and I love arancini. I have a question though. I don’t like to fry things in large amounts of oil since I have no way to safely dispose of the oil afterwards and it’s just so wasteful and unhealthy. Is it possible to bake these in the oven for a healthier snack?
Yes, you could definitely bake them. Maybe give them a drizzle of olive oil before popping into a very hot oven to bake until golden brown and crisp. You could also shallow-fry them in a frying pan with a little oil if you don’t want to use too much oil.
This looks so delicious! I hate to admit this but I don’t make a lot of risotto and I don’t know why. I will be trying this for sure and looking back at all of your other risotto recipes too!
You must! Once you start, you won’t be able to stop! 🙂
I have a special place in my heart for arancini. It made me so happy to come across your recipe today! These are absolutely gorgeous, excuse me while I go make a double batch of risotto…
Thanks for your lovely comment Stephanie. 🙂
You are killing me with this gorgeous recipe!! I absolutely LOVE arancini and now it’s all I can think about!!! xoxo
Thanks R! You and me both, they are completely swoon-worthy!
Oh my goodness these sound absolutely scrumptious, I really need to make a point of trying this recipe, I’m just worried I’ll ended up eating them all myself!
That is a big possibility Fida! But I promise it’s completely worth it!
These look absolutely scrumptious Alida! My husband Tom is a huge mushroom risotto fan, so they will make it to our table very soon! I also am a big fan of Cathy’s blog! I had a chance to meet up with her at the Jersey Shore this summer! So fun to meet another fellow blogger! Happy weekend!
Thanks so much Mary Ann. How lovely! It is always fun to meet another blogger face-to-face. Cathy, and her blog, are just lovely! x
Oh my! That looks yum. I love arancini. That photo of cheese oozing is just making me droool!
Thanks so much Kankana. I think Arancini can be considered a love language, don’t you? 😉
Your arancini are EVERYTHING Alida. These will be perfect for fall game-day entertaining at our house. Such a pleasure collaborating with you and look forward to the next one! xo
Thanks so much Cathy! And thank you for collaborating with me. Your risotto is all kinds of awesome. x