Air Fryer Arancini (Crispy Italian Rice Balls)

air fryer arancini rice balls stacked on a white plate with fresh herbs on the side

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Air Fryer Arancini (Crispy Italian Rice Balls)

Air fryer arancini are crispy Italian rice balls with a golden outside and a cheesy, savory center that you can make without deep frying. They’re a delicious, impressive appetizer, snack, or party side dish!

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

For The Rice Balls

1 quart water
2 cups arborio rice
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tsp salt

For The Breading

1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
3 eggs beaten
marinara sauce for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the water and rice to a pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally, cooking until the rice has absorbed all the water and is tender. Remove the pot from heat.
1 quart water, 2 cups arborio rice
Add the cheeses, parsley, and salt to the rice and stir everything together until evenly combined.
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley leaves, 2 tsp salt
Using a medium/large cookie scoop, scoop balls of the rice mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Add the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs individually to three separate shallow bowls.
1/2 cup flour, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
Working with one rice ball at a time- roll in the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko turning to make sure it's coated evenly on all sides.
Transfer the prepared rice ball to the basket of an air fryer, and repeat until the basket is full without any balls touching each other and in a single layer.
Air fry in batches at 370° for 5 minutes, then flip and continue cooking another 5 minutes. Repeat until all the rice mixture's been used.
Serve the arancini warm with marinara sauce on the side for dipping, and enjoy!
marinara sauce

Notes

Use leftover risotto to make the prep even easier.
Let the rice cool a bit before you scoop it into balls. It makes it easier to work with and prevents you from burning your hands.
Serve them with our homemade marinara sauce for a truly delectable pairing, or other tasty dipping sauces like Alfredo sauce or pesto sauce for a variety of options.

Nutrition