Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (2025)

Arancini are crisp on the outside with a creamy, cheesy center. Children and adults love these classic Italian rice balls. They such a treat fresh off the stove, stuffed with glorious gooey cheese.

This arancini recipe is similar in flavor to one of the most popular recipes on my site; Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (a one-pot meal). If you loved that dish, you’ll enjoythese cheesy rice balls!

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (1)

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Arancini Recipe

Arancini are a satisfying treat filled with risotto-like creamy rice, ham, sweet peas, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. Serve with warmed marinara sauce, these are wonderful for lunch on their own or paired with a fresh Caesar Salad.

This recipe was adapted from one of my favorite Italian cooks: Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and is based on her “Arancini di Riso” (Rice Balls) from her book, Lidia’s Favorite Recipes. Thank you Lidia for introducing me to this wonderful treat!

Arancini Video Tutorial

Learn all of our best tips and tricks for making the best Arancini! One bite into a cheesy rice ball and you’ll know they are well worth every bit of effort.

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What is Arancini?

Sicilian Arancini are rice balls stuffed with cheese and other fillings such as cheese and meat, the coated with bread crumbs and deep fried. The fillings vary by region but arancini have been popular in Italy for centuries.

Even if you aren’t a fan of “deep fried” foods, give this one a try. Arancini are coated in a light layer of fine Italian bread crumbs and the rice is compacted, so they hardly soak up any oil and do not have the taste or mouth feel of a deep-fried food. It is a cross between Risotto and Cheesesticks. Two of my favorites combined into one irresistible dish.

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (2)

Pro Tip:

Use Italian-style breadcrumbs to enhance the authentic Italian flavor of Arancini. Italian Style bread crumbs also have a finer crumb which helps bind the outer layer to the rice ball and creates an irresistible crisp texture.

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (3)

How to Make Rice Balls

Cook the Arancini Rice Mixture: In a heavy pot, sautee onion with olive oil and butter until soft then add ham and cook until golden then stir in the rice. Add white wine and cook until mostly evaporated then add hot chicken broth and 1 tsp salt. Cover and simmer until liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in the peas, cover and cook another 2 minutes.

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (4)

Cool the Mixture – Spread rice mixture onto a baking sheet to cool. Once rice is at room temperature, stir in parsley and parmesan. Form rice balls with wet hands, using a heaping ice cream scoop of rice for each. Stuff each rice ball with a cube of mozzarella cheese and form a tight ball to enclose the cheese.

Form the Rice Balls – Set up 3 shallow bowls. Bread the rice balls one by one, dipping first into the flour, then the beaten egg and finally rolling in bread crumbs.

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (5)

Fry the Rice Balls – Once all of the arancini are formed, heat 1″ of vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot (350˚F), add arancini in batches without crowding and cook for about 3 minutes total per batch, turning to get all sides golden brown.

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (6)

Drain and Serve – Transfer fried rice balls to a paper towel-lined platter and serve warm with marinara, or with ranch (as my son prefers), or skip the dip and just enjoy them! :).

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (7)

Can you Eat Rice Balls Cold?

Arancini are best served warm when they are creamy and cheesy in the center. They are just as good freshly cooked as they are reheated, especially when you reheat in the oven to re-crisp the exterior.

How do you Reheat Arancini?

Once arancini are fried and cool to room temperature, you can store them in the refrigerator or freezer (in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag).

  • To reheat frozen arancini – There is no need to thaw. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes.
  • To reheat refrigerated arancini – bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 400˚F for 15 minutes.
Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (8)

I hope you give these classic Italian Rice Balls a try. Everyone of all ages loves Arancini. Who can resist a crisp fried ball of rice stuffed with cheese?

Love Rice? Try Our Best Rice Recipes:

  • Shrimp Fried Rice
  • How to Cook Rice on the Stove
  • Beef Rice Pilaf (Plov)
  • California Rolls
  • Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
  • Chicken Fried rice
  • Chicken and Rice Soup

Arancini Rice Balls

4.92 from 107 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (10)

Children and adults love these cheesy Arancini rice balls. They’re such a treat fresh off the stove stuffed with glorious gooey cheese.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Ingredients

Servings: 24 rice balls

For the Arancini Rice Balls:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup ham, finely diced (about 3 oz)
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, un-rinsed
  • 1 cup Chardonnay, (dry white wine)
  • 5 cups chicken broth, or stock (hot)
  • 1 tsp salt, (plus more to sprinkle fried arancini)
  • 1 cup frozen peas, fully thawed
  • 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) cubes

For Breading/ Frying:

Instructions

  • Using a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, over medium/high heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter. When hot, stir in diced onion and saute until soft and golden (4-5 min). Add finely diced ham and cook another 2 min or until golden. Add rice and stir to coat with oil.

  • Pour in 1 cup white wine and cook until mostly evaporated (2 min). Add 5 cups hot low sodium chicken broth and 1 tsp salt then cover and simmer until liquid has been absorbed by the rice (about 15-17 min). Stir in the peas in, then cover with a tight fitting lid and finish cooking (2 min). Rice should be soft and the liquid mostly absorbed. Spread rice mixture onto a large rimmed baking dish to cool.

  • Once rice is at room temperature, stir in 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley and 1 cup parmesan cheese. Form rice balls with wet hands, using a heaping ice cream scoop for each. Stuff each rice ball with a cube of mozzarella cheese and form a tight ball with the rice mixture to enclose the cheese.

  • Set up 3 shallow bowls, the first one to have 1 cup flour, the second with 3 beaten eggs, the third with 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs. Dredge each rice ball in flour, shaking off the excess, then dip one-by-one in the beaten egg allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Finally, roll balls in breadcrumbs until evenly coated. It’s best to roll and bread all of the rice balls before beginning frying since the frying is quick.

  • Add an inch of vegetable oil into a deep pot over medium heat. Once oil is hot (350˚F), add the breaded rice balls in batches without crowding the pot and cook about 3 min total per batch, turning to get all sides golden brown. Transfer to paper towels, sprinkle right away with salt and serve warm with marinara.

Nutrition Per Serving

190kcal Calories23g Carbs8g Protein6g Fat2g Saturated Fat33mg Cholesterol384mg Sodium149mg Potassium1g Fiber1g Sugar240IU Vitamin A4mg Vitamin C112mg Calcium1.2mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Arancini Rice Balls

Amount per Serving

Calories

190

% Daily Value*

Fat

6

g

9

%

Saturated Fat

2

g

13

%

Cholesterol

33

mg

11

%

Sodium

384

mg

17

%

Potassium

149

mg

4

%

Carbohydrates

23

g

8

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

1

g

1

%

Protein

8

g

16

%

Vitamin A

240

IU

5

%

Vitamin C

4

mg

5

%

Calcium

112

mg

11

%

Iron

1.2

mg

7

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: arancini, Italian rice balls, rice balls

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 190

Natasha Kravchuk

Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (11)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Arancini Rice Balls Recipe (VIDEO) (2025)

FAQs

How do you stop arancini from falling apart? ›

If your arancini consistently falls apart, you're likely skipping one crucial step: chilling your risotto for long enough. After cooking your risotto, make sure you're chilling in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but up to 6.

What are the main ingredients in arancini? ›

Why is my arancini rice not sticking together? ›

If you don't have a lot of time to chill the rice, make sure it's spread out as thin as possible. It's important for the starches to gel in order for the rice balls to stick together. The minimum amount of time that I have chilled the rice is 1 hour, and the arancini held together successfully.

What is the difference between arancini and Sicilian rice balls? ›

There are two main recipes of the fried rice balls: the Roman suppli, and the Sicilian arancino. The main difference between the fried rice balls is that suppli are made with arborio rice and mozzarella, while arancini are made with arborio rice, mozzarella, and the addition of beef and peas.

How to make rice balls not fall apart? ›

Give just enough pressure. Your hands should be firm enough when pressing the onigiri so the rice doesn't fall apart when you shape it. You don't want to squeeze the rice too tight.

Why did my rice ball fall apart? ›

You have to be using a short grain, sticky or sushi rice, it's the starch that really helps it stick. The longer the grain doesn't have as much starch in it so it wont stick together the same way. A lot the common rices you find used in American food are longer grain and that wont stick really well.

Does arancini always have cheese? ›

The cooled risotto is rolled into balls, stuffed with the filling, and dredged in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, before frying until crispy and golden. Ragù is a traditional filling for arancini, but stuffing them with cheese only or a mix of cheese and peas is not uncommon.

What do Italians eat with arancini? ›

Arancini are a satisfying treat filled with risotto-like creamy rice, ham, sweet peas, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. Serve with warmed marinara sauce, these are wonderful for lunch on their own or paired with a fresh Caesar Salad.

What supermarket sells arancini? ›

Suitable for Vegetarians. May Contain: Sesame.

How to keep rice together for rice balls? ›

Normally you'd want to use a short, stubby rice grain for rice balls so they hold together and are softer. To try and keep those elements, I slightly overcook my basmati rice and mash it with a fork to break it up. Then, I use this handy silicone mould to create the oval shape.

How do you keep rice balls from getting hard? ›

Don't make onigiri with room-temperature rice..it will not stick together well and will dry out fast. The cooked rice should be nicely moist and plump to start with. Wrap them completely in plastic wrap before storing in the refrigerator. This keeps the moisture in and prevents the surface from drying out.

How much water for 2 cups of rice? ›

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

Why do my arancini fall apart when frying? ›

If it is not properly chilled, it will fall apart in the hot oil instead of forming crisp, glistening, orbs filled with molten cheese. Serve these arancini with warmed tomato sauce or even pesto, and crown them with a flurry of gremolata or plain lemon zest for brightness.

Are arancini balls deep-fried? ›

Dip a rice ball into the flour, shake off any excess, then dip into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finish by coating completely in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining balls. Deep-fry the balls in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown all over.

Is arancini good for you? ›

No direct scientific evidence links arancini to weight loss; however, broader principles like portion control and a balanced diet apply to it too. Adapting the recipe—using whole grains, reducing cheese amounts, choosing lean protein fillings, and using healthier cooking methods— can make arancini weight loss-friendly.

How to get rice balls to stick together? ›

I like to add about 1/4 cup more water per cup of rice to make it stickier.

How do you keep crispy rice from falling apart? ›

The key to keeping the rice squares from falling apart is to tightly compact the rice when you mold it in the baking pan. If the rice is too loose it will fall apart when you attempt to cut and fry.

How do you keep fried rice from clumping? ›

Let the rice stand for one to two hours until it's cooled to room temperature. Resting and cooling your rice allows excess moisture to evaporate, which also helps keep grains from clumping. If you want to do this a day or two ahead, let the rice cool completely, then refrigerate it in an airtight container.

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