Arancini di Riso: Sicilian Rice Balls (2023)

FAQs

What's the difference between rice balls and arancini? ›

Differences. 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.

Arancini Recipe | How to Make Arancini di Riso. Arancini di Riso, or Sicilian Rice Balls, are one of the most delicious dishes you can find in Sicily. Arancini are small deep-fried rice balls filled with meat sauce or mozzarella and prosciutto, round or conical in shape.

You may have seen this dish spelled both ways. In western Sicily, it's argued that these rice balls are usually called arancine because that word means "little oranges;" the balls are round and like arancia, the word for orange in Italian.

Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Dip each prepared risotto ball into the flour, followed by the eggs and finally, the breadcrumbs.

Stir in 300g risotto rice. Turn up the heat to medium-high and pour in 150ml wine – it should sizzle and start to bubble instantly. Gradually add in 900ml stock a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously until the rice is tender, this should take about 15 minutes.

Prepare and fry the Sicilian rice balls as indicated in the recipe. Transfer the fried arancini to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Arancini is one of those words, so it's pronounced like “ar-an-chee-nee,” with emphasis on the “chee” and a rolled “r” if you want to sound authentically Italian!

Today, with the increasing popularity of this finger food in modern Italian food culture, arancini are found all year round at most Sicilian food outlets, particularly in Palermo, Messina and Catania.

Is arancini good for you? ›

Arancini, for instance, come from the deep south of Italy: Sicily. Arancino literally means “small orange”. But don't be fooled, arancini are not that healthy, they are in fact deep-fried stuffed rice balls, coated with bread crumbs.

Arancini is the ultimate Sicilian and Italian food, its a delicious meat sauce stuffed inside a rice ball, dipped in bread crumbs and fried a ragu stuffed rice ball dipped in bread crumbs and deep fried.

Can you Eat Rice Balls Cold? Arancini are best served warm when they are creamy and cheesy in the center. They are just as good freshly cooked as they are reheated, especially when you reheat in the oven to re-crisp the exterior.

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.

Using warm rice helps the onigiri hold its shape as cold rice isn't very sticky. Wet your hands with water and apply a pinch of salt. The salt adds more flavor and acts as a preservative while the water helps avoid the rice sticking to your hands (using gloves helps too).

Although the risotto may be Italy's most famous rice dish, the country holds a plethora of rice recipes, both sweet and savoury.

You can absolutely eat these cold, however, I believe it's far superior when served up hot and with a side of tomato sauce. If you choose to eat arancini cold, I would obviously chill them after they are fried. Whether you enjoy it cold or hot, it's completely up to you.

Cook's tips: To get ahead, freeze the arancini after they're cooked. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 180C.

Do you have to deep fry arancini balls? Instead of deep frying, you can shallow fry arancini balls instead! Just make sure to baste them in the oil over medium heat for an all-over golden crispiness.

SERVE your fried rice balls with marinara sauce for dipping. They are traditionally served as an appetizer or side, so you could pair them with your favorite Italian dish.

Do you eat arancini with your hands? ›

If you want it extra-crispy, let it stay 2 minutes in the oven immediately after. Your Sicilian Arancini are ready to eat: use your hands to eat them like a local!

The prestigious dictionary defines the word arancini as "rice balls" with "a savoury filling, covered with breadcrumbs and fried”.

Arancini al pistacchio is a traditional Italian variety of arancini originating from Catania and the area around Mount Etna. These rice balls are stuffed with a delicious pistacchio bechamel sauce made with Bronte pistachios that are grown near Etna.

Considered the King of Italian rice, Carnaroli kernels are the longest and thickest of the superfino rice.

A staple food of Italian cooking is rice or riso in Italian.

The most famous Italian varieties of rice are Carnaroli, Arborio, Roma, S. Andrea, Baldo, Vialone Nano and Balilla. Each variety can be processed to become white, brown or parboiled rice.

Rice is thrown at the couple coming out of the Church or wedding hall to symbolize a shower of fertility. According to a Sicilian wedding tradition, wheat was thrown instead of rice, the meaning is the same: a symbol of wealth and fertility. All guests approach and congratulate the newlyweds outside the wedding venue.

Italians love Pasta

It's the most common and understated Italian stereotype. Italians are known for their delicious cuisine, and pasta being the most famous one. Yes, Italians devour the pasta like nobody else. It's not uncommon for Nonnas to spend hours on end on a Sunday preparing a fresh pasta meal for the family.

Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic dish found all over the world and is considered a staple dinner menu item. While we believe that most pasta dishes are considered to be Italian, you likely won't find the dish anywhere in Italy.

Fried rice can be very unhealthy dish given that it is a very carb and fat heavy dish from the rice and heavy oil usage, and not enough protein content -- an average restaurant serving of fried rice is about 800 calories. However, it's easy to make a healthier version of fried rice by portioning ingredients mindfully.

Why is arancini popular in Italy? ›

In Palermo and Trapani, Sicily, arancini are a traditional food for the feast of Santa Lucia, 13 December, when bread and pasta are not eaten. This commemorates arrival of a grain supply ship on Santa Lucia's day in 1646, relieving a severe famine.

Seemingly a little healthier, a large arancini ball clocks in at 150 calories and 10g of fat per serve, whilst a fried chicken wing contains at least 8g of fat and a single piece of fried calamari 50 calories and 4g of fat. Make a blanket rule to avoid pastry and you will do your body a massive favour.

Sicily, Italian Sicilia, island, southern Italy, the largest and one of the most densely populated islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Together with the Egadi, Lipari, Pelagie, and Panteleria islands, Sicily forms an autonomous region of Italy.

“Definitely it is a good breakfast. But being a very popular Sicilian street food I can say it can be consumed every moment of the day,” he says. It's also one of the best-sellers on the menu at Olio - currently with a wagyu beef filling.

Arancini Balls are the epitome of southern Italian street food. They're easy to make with leftover arborio rice and a few other ingredients. In their purest form, you just stuff them with mozzarella, dredge in breadcrumbs, and deep fry.

To reheat in the oven, place your arancini on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. You can also reheat risotto balls in the Air Fryer for about 5 minutes. Or, simply pop them into the microwave for a minute or two.

These risotto balls make great party food. You can also fry them 3-4 hours in advance, and then reheat them at 350 degrees F.

Arancini take some effort to prepare but they are truly a delight to eat. This arancini recipe is perfect for snacking or serving as an appetizer with a simple Marinara Sauce. Or, they could easily make a whole meal when paired with a Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad or your favorite protein.

Easy tips for making arancini

Two birds, one stone! The process of rolling the rice can get pretty sticky, but keeping your hands moist with a little water helps. To save time, you can make these up to three days ahead. Just pop them in your fridge and then reheat them in the oven.

In fact, according to the Italian grammar, the word arancina is feminine while arancino is masculine! Palermitans love to say “a' arancina fimmina è!” (the arancina is a lady!” – from Sicilian language). The origins of this typical Sicilian food isn't well-known.

How long can you keep cooked arancini? ›

It's best not to keep arancini leftovers in the fridge for any longer than two days, as they will begin to dry out. If you don't think you will enjoy your arancini within a few days of preparing them, it's best to freeze them right away, so they will be nice and fresh when you come to reheat them. What is this?

Just keep in mind the water and fat content of your ingredients, if it's too wet or greasy the rice might lose it's stickiness and your onigiri might not hold its shape.

You can overcook the long grain rice so it will be soft and mushy to form a shape, but it certainly will not taste very good. If the fillings are too oily or watery, it will cause the rice to lose it's "stickiness" and result the rice ball not be able to hold its shape.

By wetting and salting your hands, it not only keeps the rice from sticking to them, but it also applies an even layer of seasoning to the outside of the rice balls.

Onigiri (お握り or 御握り), also known as omusubi (お結び), nigirimeshi (握り飯), or rice ball, is a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes and often wrapped in nori.

Onigiri (おにぎり) are Japanese rice balls made of steamed rice that have been compressed into a triangular, ball, or cylinder shape and are usually wrapped in nori seaweed sheet. They can be flavored lightly with just salt or filled with a variety of fillings.

Italian rice balls, also known as arancini are a delicious Sicilian dish. Arborio rice is cooked and stuffed, then coated and fried until perfectly crispy. Italian rice balls, also known as aracini are a versatile Italian dish that can be served as an appetizer, side dish or main dish.

What is Onigiri? Also known as o-musubi or nigirimeshi, onigiri are Japanese rice ball snacks made from cooked or steamed sushi rice, furikake seasonings (and sometimes tasty hidden fillings), wrapped a nori seaweed wrapper.

Glutinous Rice Ball (Tangyuan)

While dumplings are more popular for celebrating Chinese New Year in the north, Tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls) are popular amongst the southern Chinese. Eating Tangyuan symbolises family reunion and wishing peace and happiness in the family.

They make people feel comfortable and that is why people frequently eat them. The way I cook rice and how much salt I add changes from day to day. People can enjoy these little changes as well, but rice balls always give a sense of comfort and always tasty. That is what makes them so great.”

Why do Japanese eat rice balls? ›

From samurai to geisha, rice balls (known in Japan as onigiri) have long been eaten as a quick, portable and satisfying lunch. Fillings typically included salted, fermented or pickled ingredients less likely to spoil quickly. While sushi was later invented to preserve fish, rice balls were intended to preserve rice.

Nori (海苔) is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, made from species of the red algae genus Pyropia, including P. yezoensis and P. tenera. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is often used to wrap rolls of sushi or onigiri (rice balls).

Do You Eat Onigiri Hot or Cold? Onigiri is typically eaten cold or at room temperature, but it can be quickly grilled and served hot (known as yaki onigiri).

Good question and the answer is limitless. 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. Stick with classic Italian flavours and you can't go wrong.

Delicious served with fried capers, fresh oregano and basil leaves, grated Parmesan and the punchy arrabbiata sauce for dunking.

If you don't eat the Onigiri immediately, wrap each with plastic and store them in an airtight container. It's ok to leave them at room temperature for half a day, but if it's longer, keep them in the fridge or freezer. Then last in the fridge for a couple of days and one month in the freezer.

WHY THE TRIANGLE? Onigiris actually come in four different shapes but the triangle is the most common. Legend has it that travellers moulded rice balls into the shape of a mountain as a way of asking for protection from kami (spirits), which were believed by Shintoists to live within every element in nature.

The first known instance of onigiri dates back more than 2,000 years, recovered from an archaeological site in Ishikawa prefecture. It was served to court functionaries during the Heian period (794–1185) and played a part in a ritual gift exchange between those functionaries and the nobility.

Onigiri are eaten like a sandwich--just pick it up and enjoy. For people eating onigiri for the first time: the nori is especially crispy and may make a mess if you eat it too quickly. if you wait a few minutes before eating, the seaweed will adhere better to the rice, making it easier and less messy to eat.