Description
Traditional Sicilian arancini—crispy, golden-fried rice balls filled with a savory meat ragù, mozzarella, and peas, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked risotto (cooled)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- For Meat Filling:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the meat filling: heat olive oil in a skillet, add onion and garlic, and sauté until soft. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato sauce and peas, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Take a handful of cooled risotto and flatten it in your hand. Place a small spoonful of meat filling and a cube of mozzarella in the center.
- Wrap the rice around the filling and shape into a ball, pressing gently to seal.
- Roll each ball in flour, then dip in beaten eggs, and coat with breadcrumbs.
- Heat oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry arancini in batches until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
Notes
- Use day-old risotto for best shaping and texture.
- For a vegetarian version, omit meat and use a cheese-only filling.
- Bake instead of fry at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes for a lighter option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 arancini
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 45mg