Air Fryer Arancini Rice Balls
This Air Fryer Arancini recipe, or fried Italian rice balls, are balls of creamy risotto rice and cheese with a seasoned crispy breading! They're air fried until perfectly golden with a soft, creamy, cheesy center!
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 368kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked arborio rice warm, but not hot
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup diced mozzarella cheese in small cubes
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- Marinara sauce for serving
- olive oil for spritzing
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked arborio rice, grated parmesan cheese, diced mozzarella, chopped parsley, and dried basil. Season liberally with salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture and shape it into a compact ball using your hands. We use a medium cookie scoop for this. Repeat this process until all the rice mixture is used, forming 16-20 arancini balls.
- Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls: one with the all-purpose flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the Italian bread crumbs.
- Roll each arancini ball in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the beaten eggs, allowing any excess to drip off, and finally coat it evenly with the Italian bread crumbs. Place the coated arancini balls on a plate.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (190°C). Place the arancini balls in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching each other. Spritz with olive oil.
- Air fry the arancini at 370°F for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Once the arancini are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve the air fryer arancini hot with marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
Use leftover cooked arborio rice for this recipe, as it creates the ideal creamy texture for the arancini. The starchiness of arborio rice helps the arancini hold their shape and provides a satisfying mouthfeel. You’ll want the rice slightly warm, but not hot as you’ll be handling it.
Ensure the mozzarella cubes are cut into small pieces to evenly distribute the cheesy goodness throughout the rice mixture.
Nutrition
Serving: 4rice balls | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 712mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 498IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 3mg