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Air Fryer Arancini

A blue plate with air fryer arancini rice balls and a bowl of marinara sauce
Prep Time
2h 55 min
Cook Time
40 min
Yields
15 pieces

If you’ve ever had arancini in an Italian restaurant, you know how incredibly delicious they are. Here, the round balls of risotto and cheese are rolled in seasoned breadcrumbs and air-fried to crispy perfection for an easier, lighter spin on the classic. We even put a cube of mozzarella inside each one for a melty, gooey surprise.

Related: Air Fryer Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

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ingredients

1
Tbsp olive oil
1
shallot, minced
2
cloves garlic, minced
1
cup arborio rice
¼
cup dry white wine
3
cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
½
cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½
cup plus 3 Tbsp Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
15 1/2-inch
cubes whole-milk mozzarella cheese (from a 3.5-oz piece)
Nonstick cooking spray, for the air fryer
Warmed marinara sauce, for serving
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directions

Notes

Special equipment: a 3.5-quart air fryer

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until completely absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes more. Pour in the warm chicken broth, about ½ cup at a time; cook, stirring constantly and allowing all of the liquid to be absorbed before adding more, until the rice is just tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, ¾ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Step 2

Transfer the risotto to a shallow bowl and refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour and up to 8 hours (cover with plastic wrap).

Step 3

Stir 3 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs into the risotto until evenly combined. Form the mixture into 15 arancini (each about 3 tablespoons and 1 ½ inches in diameter). Insert 1 mozzarella cube in the centre of each one, then roll between the palms of your hands to make a smooth, round ball. Refrigerate until chilled through, about 30 minutes more.

Step 4

Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 400ºF and spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray. Place the remaining ½ cup breadcrumbs in a small bowl, then roll the arancini in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Add the arancini to the basket and spray the tops with more nonstick cooking spray. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Step 5

Transfer to a platter and serve with warm marinara sauce, for dipping.

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