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These three cheese arancini aka fried risotto balls are made with arborio rice, parmesan, mozzarella, and mascarpone cheese! They’re light and fluffy, crispy, and super cheesy!
Make sure to serve them with marinara sauce or vodka sauce for best results.
WHAT ARE ARANCINI BALLS?
Arancini balls are Italian snacks or appetizers made from rice. The dish typically involves shaping cooked rice into balls, which are then coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried.
The rice is often mixed with ingredients like cheese, meat, or vegetables before being formed into balls.
INGREDIENT NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Rice – I highly recommend using arborio rice for this recipe but honestly, any rice will work!
- Cheese – I used a combination of parmesan, mozzarella, and mascarpone cheese but feel free to use whatever cheese you have on hand. If you don’t have mascarpone cheese on hand, you may use cream cheese.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs will make these extra crispy but feel free to use Italian breadcrumbs instead.
- Oil – Canola or vegetable oil is recommended for deep frying.
TOP TIPS
- Don’t want to include wine? Simply omit it and use an additional 1/2 cup of chicken stock.
- The frying oil should be at around 350 degrees F. for best results.
- Don’t be alarmed if the risotto is super creamy and loose. That will result in creamy risotto balls. If the rice is too dry, you’ll end up with dry risotto balls.
- Check for seasoning before forming the risotto balls and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Make sure to freeze the risotto balls for at least an hour before frying otherwise, they may fall apart.
- You can also make these ahead of time and freeze them. When you’re done rolling the arancini balls in panko breadcrumbs, place them in a zippered bag and freeze until you’re ready to fry them.
HAVE LEFTOVERS?
Place any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in the air fryer or microwave.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY…
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Three Cheese Arancini
Ingredients
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup white wine , *check notes*
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
- ¾ cups parmesan cheese
- ¾ cups mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 2 teaspoons parsley, finely minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil, for frying
Instructions
- Bring the chicken stock to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Stir in the arborio rice and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute or until the wine completely absorbs.
- Add one ladle full of the chicken stock to the arborio rice and stir. Stir until the stock absorbs completely. Repeat this step until you run out of stock or the arborio rice is al dente. This should take about 25 minutes while stirring frequently.
- Once the arborio rice is creamy and fully cooked through, turn off the heat and add the parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Make sure to check for seasoning and allow the risotto to cool completely. I let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature and then transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate it for 1 hour.
- Once the hour is up and the risotto is cool enough to handle, form in into 1- inch balls. After forming the rice balls, put a piece of cheese in the middle and press the rice around it until the cheese is fully covered. Place them in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Gently coat each ball with flour, then dip it in beaten egg, and roll it in breadcrumbs. Keep doing this for all the balls, and place each finished ball on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Fry the arancini for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t want to include wine? Simply omit it and use an additional 1/2 cup of chicken stock.
- The frying oil should be at around 350 degrees F. for best results.
- Don’t be alarmed if the risotto is super creamy and loose. That will result in creamy risotto balls. If the rice is too dry, you’ll end up with dry risotto balls.
- Check for seasoning before forming the risotto balls and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Make sure to freeze the risotto balls for at least an hour before frying otherwise they may fall apart.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
