Oven-Baked Gluten Free Arancini Recipe - no frying required! (2024)

FAQs

How do you stop arancini from falling apart? ›

7 - Refrigerate your arancini for 4 hours before dipping in the batter and breadcrumbs. This sets it so that it becomes firmer and won't fall apart. Some also place their arancini in the freezer for 2 hours before frying although I didn't try this (and you may have to increase your frying time).

If deep frying isn't your thing, try baking the arancini instead. Place arancini on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spray well with olive oil. Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes or until crisp.

These air fried arancini balls taste best when served hot and fresh because that's when they are the crispiest. However, you can keep leftover air fried arancini in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven to get them crispy again.

Rice

Arancini / Main ingredient

It's important for the starches to gel in order for the rice balls to stick together. The minimum amount of time that I have chilled the rice is 1 hour, and the arancini held together successfully.

If the mixture is not sticking together just add in some breadcrumbs one tablespoon at a time. Place some parchment paper on a medium size baking sheet and start scooping the risotto mixture onto the baking sheet so that you have nice balls.

If you'd like to serve the rice balls right after making them, heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) or to the lowest setting to keep the arancini warm as you fry them. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels.

If it is not properly chilled, it will fall apart in the hot oil instead of forming crisp, glistening, orbs filled with molten cheese. Serve these arancini with warmed tomato sauce or even pesto, and crown them with a flurry of gremolata or plain lemon zest for brightness.

No direct scientific evidence links arancini to weight loss; however, broader principles like portion control and a balanced diet apply to it too. Adapting the recipe—using whole grains, reducing cheese amounts, choosing lean protein fillings, and using healthier cooking methods— can make arancini weight loss-friendly.

To make them into a heartier meal, pair arancini with a salad like Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad or Panzanella Salad. Or, with your favorite protein, like Italian-Style Skillet Chicken Breast.

Is it better to freeze arancini, cooked or uncooked? ›

Pro tip: arancini can be frozen before or after being fried. If you freeze them before, just fry them like you normally would and finish cooking them in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Very often arancini are just wrapped in a serviette and handed over to the customer to eat standing up at the counter. They are unsurpassable finger food and the perfect accompaniment for a drink.

These deep fried risotto balls pair well with pretty much any Italian-based dish and depending on what's inside them you can serve with vegetables, salads, relish or pasta.

Arancini (UK: /ˌærənˈtʃiːni/, US: /ˌɑːr-/, Italian: [aranˈtʃiːni]; Sicilian: [aɾanˈtʃiːnɪ, -ˈdʒiː-]; sg. : arancino), also known as, depending on the region but also on the different areas of the same region, arancine ( sg. : arancina), are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

There are two main recipes of the fried rice balls: the Roman suppli, and the Sicilian arancino. The main difference between the fried rice balls is that suppli are made with arborio rice and mozzarella, while arancini are made with arborio rice, mozzarella, and the addition of beef and peas.

Use FRESH Hot Japanese Short Grain Rice – using old, cooled or dried out rice makes it really hard for the rice grains to stick together. Cover Your Rice and Rice Balls with a Wet Towel – this prevents the rice from drying out. As you scoop out the rice, cover the bowl with a damp cloth.

Tips for Perfect Japanese Rice Balls

Freshly cooked rice is warm, moist, and sticky, which makes it easier to shape into the desired form and ensures that the onigiri holds together well. Wet Your Hands: Keep a bowl of water next to you when shaping the rice balls and wet your hands when the mixture gets too sticky.

Freezing the rice for just one hour. will hold the grains in place. so that they don't fall apart in the pan. Use a wet knife to stop the rice from sticking. Then shallow fry each square.