Easy Arancini with Leftover Rice
What are arancini? They are deep fried risotto balls, stuffed with mozzarella, spices and vegetables. We have to be very thankful to Italians for this tasty dish. If you decide to make arancini the traditional way it might be overwhelming and time consuming. First you have to make the risotto and cool it off. Then you have to make the balls and fry them. This sounds like a complicated and lengthy process. That is why I’ve created a recipe for easy arancini with leftover rice that tastes as good as the original. My arancini are ready in thirty minutes or less and are so delicious. They are crunchy on the outside and cheesy on the inside.
I added roasted bell pepper in my recipe because my daughter loves it. It also, goes very well with the Italian spices and cheeses. You can customize the filling to your liking. It Sicily the arancini are very popular street food. You can find them with variety of sweet and savory fillings.
Why Should you Make This Recipe?
The easy arancini with leftover rice are inexpensive and easy to make. I’ve tried this recipe with all kinds of rice and it always turns out good. You just need to combine all the ingredients with the leftover rice, form little balls, roll them in breadcrumbs and fry. Usually, they are ready in thirty minutes or less.
Arancini are so delicious and kids love them. Italian herbs and cheeses make them taste like a cheesy pizza. Serve them with chunky marinara sauce for dipping and your kids will clean the plate.
Helpful tips
Roast the bell pepper yourself or use one from a jar.
You can use an ice cream scoop to form equally sized balls. If you use your hands wet them a little to help with forming the arancini.
Easy Arancini with Leftover Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice cold is best
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup shredded mozarella
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 roasted bell pepper seeds removed and cubed
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup Italian bread crumbs plain will work too
- 1 cup Frying oil
Instructions
- In a bowl combine all the ingredients except the bread crumbs and the oil. Mix them well until well combined.
- Form 14-16 equal-sized balls and roll them in the bread crumbs.
- Add the frying oil to a small, deep pan and place it on the stove. Preheat the oil to medium high.
- Fry the arancini in batches until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the arancini from the hot oil and place them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
- Serve them while hot.
