About
Italian Rice Balls, or arancini, are the side dish (or snack) that's so hearty you might just want it for the main course! These golden, deep-fried rice balls are crisp on the outside and stuffed with tender, seasoned rice and melty cheese. With a little marinara on the side for dipping, Italian Rice Balls are a fair food that is fabulous, pure and simple!
Ingredients
- For the rice balls:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 cup ham, finely diced
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups chicken broth or stock, hot
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
- neutral-flavored oil, to taste
- Optional, for serving:
- parsley, to taste, chopped
- parmesan cheese, to taste, grated
- marinara sauce, to taste
Directions
Step 1 -In a Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the butter and heat until the butter is melted.
Step 2 -Add the onions to the oil mixture and cook, while stirring, until softened and golden, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 3 -Add the ham to the onions and cook, while stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Step 4 -Add the rice to the onion mixture and stir to combine.
Step 5 -Add the white wine to the rice mixture and cook, while stirring, until it is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Step 6 -Add the hot chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
Step 7 -Cover the pot and let it simmer until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid but isn't quite finished cooking, about 15-17 minutes.
Step 8 -Add the peas to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
Step 9 -Cover the pot with the lid and cook until the liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, about 2 minutes.
Step 10 -In a large, rimmed baking dish, add the rice mixture and spread it out to cool to room temperature.
Step 11 -Add 1/3 cup of the parsley and 1 cup of the parmesan to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
Step 12 -Using damp, clean hands, form the rice mixture into 24 balls.
Step 13 -Stuff each of the rice balls with 1 cube of the mozzarella cheese, forming the rice mixture tightly around it. Make sure the rice completely covers the cheese cubes.
Step 14 -In a shallow bowl, add the flour.
Step 15 -In a separate shallow bowl, add the beaten eggs.
Step 16 -In a separate shallow bowl, add the Italian breadcrumbs.
Step 17 -Dredge each of the stuffed rice balls in the flour, shaking off any excess.
Step 18 -Dip each of the flour-coated rice balls in the beaten eggs, allowing the excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
Step 19 -Dip each of the egg-coated rice balls in the breadcrumbs, making sure they are evenly coated.
Step 20 -In a deep pot over medium heat, add about 1-inch of the neutral-flavored oil and heat it about 350 degrees F.
Step 21 -In batches, add the breaded rice balls to the hot oil and cook, turning them as needed, until all sides are golden-brown, about 3 minutes.
Step 22 -Transfer the cooked rice balls to paper towels to drain and sprinkle them with the extra salt.
Step 23 -Repeat until all of the rice balls are cooked, adding more of the neutral-flavored oil as needed and making sure the oil is back up to 350 degrees F before each batch.
Step 24 -Serve the rice balls with the extra parsley, the extra parmesan, and the marinara sauce.
