Three Cheese Arancini

5 from 1 vote

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!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Freeze and refrigerate2

Total Time3

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian American

Servings:

Author: Julie Maestre

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.

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