Description
Crispy and golden Air Fryer Arancini Rice Balls combine creamy arborio rice, melted mozzarella, and parmesan with fragrant herbs, all breaded and air fried to perfection. Perfectly portioned and easy to make, these Italian-inspired snacks are delicious served hot with marinara sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Arancini Mixture
- 2 cups cooked arborio rice (warm, but not hot)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup diced mozzarella cheese (small cubes)
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Breading Station
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
For Cooking & Serving
- Olive oil (for spritzing)
- Marinara sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice Mixture: 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, and mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Shape the Arancini: Using your hands or a medium cookie scoop, scoop about 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture and shape it into compact balls. Repeat until all the mixture is used, forming 16-20 arancini balls.
- Set up the Breading Station: Arrange three shallow bowls in the order of all-purpose flour, beaten eggs, and Italian bread crumbs for coating the arancini.
- Bread the Arancini Balls: Roll each arancini ball first in the flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten eggs allowing excess to drip off, and finally coat fully with Italian bread crumbs. Place coated balls onto a plate.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Set the air fryer to 370°F (190°C) and let it preheat while you finish breading the arancini.
- Air Fry the Arancini: Place the breaded arancini balls in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Lightly spritz each ball with olive oil to encourage crisping. Air fry at 370°F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the cooked arancini from the air fryer and allow to cool for a few minutes to let the cheese inside settle.
- Serve: Serve the arancini hot with marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy this crunchy, cheesy appetizer or snack!
Notes
- Use warm rice to help the mixture bind together well.
- Ensure arancini balls are compact to avoid breaking during breading or cooking.
- Spritzing with olive oil helps achieve a crispy golden exterior in the air fryer.
- Arancini can be made ahead and frozen before breading for quick cooking later.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Arancini, Air Fryer Rice Balls, Italian Snacks, Crispy Rice Balls, Appetizer, Cheese Rice Balls
