Got some leftover risotto? Baked arancini, or risotto balls, are the perfect use for it. Make a tomato dipping sauce to serve with your arancini for a delicious meal or snack that the whole family can enjoy.
What are arancini?
Arancini are small balls made from risotto rice.
They originate from Italy and are often stuffed with cheese or meat. They're then coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
This recipe is for baked arancini which uses less oil and is a healthier option.
The best use for leftover risotto
Risotto balls are the perfect use for leftover risotto. And they are so delicious that I wholeheartedly recommend that you make extra risotto just so you can make arancini. You won't regret it!
Kid approved
My kids ADORE arancini.
In fact they definitely enjoyed them even more than regular risotto.
Best risotto for making arancini
You can use any leftover risotto to make arancini - as long as it's cold.
I used this baby friendly risotto with pea and mint.
What to serve with arancini
While arancini can be eaten both warm and cold on its own it is even more delicious when served with a dipping sauce.
You will find a delicious recipe for a tomato dipping sauce below but you can use any tomato based sauce recipe to serve with these.
Make your arancini vegan
It's very easy to make arancini vegan.
Make sure to start off with a vegan risotto recipe.
Then you'll need a vegan cheese substitute eg grated mozzarella or cheddar style cheese. Look out for one that melts well - I use Violife (available from most UK supermarkets).
I then use cornflour and oat milk to help the breadcrumbs stick to the risotto ball.
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Ingredients
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Here's what you'll need to make baked arancini:
- 500g leftover cold risotto
- Cheese or dairy free alternative, grated or shredded (small bowl)
- Cornflour (small bowl)
- Milk or dairy free alternative (small bowl)
- Breadcrumbs eg panko (small bowl)
- Olive oil - for brushing, optional
And here are the ingredients for the tomato dipping sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- a teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper
How to make baked arancini (risotto balls)
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
1 Scoop out a little leftover risotto and roll into a ball.
2. Make a hole in the centre and push through some of the grated cheese.
3. Close the hole and repeat with the remaining risotto until you have six balls. Place them on a lined baking tray.
4. Dip one of the risotto balls into the cornflour and roll around to coat.
5. Dip into the milk.
6. Finally roll in the panko breadcrumbs.
7. Repeat with the remaining risotto balls. Brush with oil (optional) and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway, until golden brown.
How to make the tomato dipping sauce
1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft.
2. Add the crushed garlic and fry for one more minute, until just softening.
3. Add a tin of tomatoes, a tablespoon balsamic vinegar, the juice of half a lemon and some salt and pepper.
4. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. NB: the longer you leave this sauce to simmer the better it will taste.
If you've made this recipe please a leave a star rating and comment below. Thank you
Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.
Baked arancini with tomato dipping sauce
Ingredients
For the arancini
- 500 g leftover cold risotto
- Small handful cheese eg mozzarella, cheddar or vegan alternative, grated
- Small bowl of cornflour
- Small bowl of milk I use oat milk
- Small bowl of breadcrumbs I used panko
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing
For the tomato dipping sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ lemon juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the arancini
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Using your hands take a golf ball sized handful of risotto out of the bowl and squash together with the palms of your hands. It's important to squeeze really well so your arancini holds together.
- Make a hole in the centre with your finger and push in some cheese, closing the hole when you’re done.
- Roll your risotto ball in the cornflour, the milk and finally the breadcrumbs.
- Place on the prepared baking tray and repeat with the remaining risotto.
- Brush each risotto ball with olive oil - this isn't essential but will help your arancini to turn out golden and crispy.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
To make the dipping sauce
- While the arancini are baking make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onion until soft.
- Add the garlic, stir and cook for one minute. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, a teaspoon of dried oregano, a tablespoon balsamic vinegar and the juice of half a lemon. Stir well.
- Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the arancini warm* with the dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.
- If serving to children allow them to cool as the cheese inside gets very hot.
Nutrition
Pin baked arancini for later
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jasleen
probably a silly question but i'd just like to clarify about the lemon juice in the tomato sauce - it's written "add the remaining ingredients" after the garlic's stirred but does that include the lemon juice? i just don't want to mess it up as i know cooked lemon juice has a totally different effect than lemon juice in the end! thank you in advance :))
Mandy Mazliah
Hi Jasleen, I usually add it with the other ingredients and have never noticed any different effect but you can add it at the end if you prefer!
Hanako
I loved the recipe, thanks for sharing. My boys really enjoyed them so did we adults too.
I didn’t have mozzarella so used cheddar cheese, it worked well. Also used arrowroot instead of cornflour, worked fine too.
Well definitely make them again.
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much for commenting - so glad that you enjoyed them! Good to know that the arrowroot works as well.
Rebecca Smith
These sound amazing, I tried something similar when i visited Frascati years ago but never thought to make them myself...and I literally just polished off some left over risotto yesterday too - boo. Oh well, good excuse to make some more for more leftovers!!
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much Rebecca - I was surprised at how easy they were to make