By Laurel Perry
Published May 21, 2025
Any time I see arancini on the menu, I have to order some. You might say I’m obsessed, but I think this obsession is perfectly healthy. Who can say no to what is essentially deep-fried risotto?! It turns out these delicious crispy rice balls were easier to make than I thought, and now I make them all the time for parties. I loaded up these bad boys with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese and coated them in extra-crispy Panko breadcrumbs to create the ultimate Italian arancini recipe.
There’s not much better than these gooey deep-fried arancini. If you’re a cheese lover like me, I just know you’ll love them. Chewy, creamy rice wrapped around melty mozzarella cheese, and coated in crispy breadcrumbs…sounds like heaven, doesn’t it?
Tips for Beginners
- When breading, I like to keep a wet hand and a dry hand. Use one hand to dip the balls in the flour and the opposite hand to dip them in the eggs. Return to the first hand to dip in the Panko. This helps keep me from accidentally breading my fingers!
- Once breaded, if your oil is taking more than a few minutes to heat up, transfer your arancini back to the fridge. This will help them keep their shape.
- Don’t try to fry too many arancini at once. This will lower the temperature of the oil and make your rice balls greasy.
- Keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust as needed to ensure the rice balls don’t burn before they’re cooked through.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth*
- ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ▢ 1 cup arborio rice**
- ▢ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ▢ 4 ounces mozzarella cheese cut into ½ inch cubes
- ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- ▢ Vegetable oil for frying
- ▢ Marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes. 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth*, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 cup arborio rice**
- Spread the rice out on a baking sheet and place in the fridge to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Once the rice is cool, add it to a bowl and stir in parmesan cheese and parsley. ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Form the rice mixture into 16 balls. Place them on a baking sheet.
- Stuff each ball with a cube of mozzarella. Press the rice together so that the mozzarella is completely encased. 4 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Grab 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, beat the eggs. In the third stir together the panko and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Bread the arancini by first coating them in the flour, then egg, and finally panko, using your hands to gently press the panko to adhere. Place them back on your baking sheet once they are breaded.
- Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan to 350°F. Grab another sheet pan and line it with paper towels. Vegetable oil
- Working in batches, fry the arancini until golden on all sides. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. While they are hot, sprinkle on a little extra sea salt.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce. Marinara sauce
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Frying Thermometer (optional)
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Arancini Step by Step
Gather all your ingredients.
Cook and Cool the Rice: In a large pot, bring 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Stir in 1 cup of arborio rice, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Spread the rice out on a baking sheet and place in the fridge to cool for about 30 minutes.
Mix the Rice: Once the rice is cool, add it to a bowl and stir in ½ cup of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.
Shape the Arancini: Form the rice mixture into 16 balls. Place them on a baking sheet. Stuff each ball with a ½-inch (¼-ounce) cube of mozzarella. Press the rice together so that the mozzarella is completely encased.
Prepare a Dredging Station: Grab 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add ½ cup of all-purpose flour. In the second bowl, beat 2 large eggs, and in the third, stir together 1½ cups of Panko breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Dredge the Arancini: Bread the arancini by first coating them in the flour, then egg, and finally Panko, using your hands to gently press the panko to adhere. Place them back on your baking sheet once they are breaded.
Heat the Oil: Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan to 350°F. Grab another sheet pan and line it with paper towels.
Fry the Arancini: Working in batches, fry the arancini until golden on all sides. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. While they are hot, sprinkle on a little extra sea salt.
Serve the Arancini: Serve warm with marinara sauce.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover arancini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
I always serve arancini with my favorite homemade marinara sauce for dipping. They’re also delicious with a Caesar salad , hearty vegetable soup , or a classic Italian meal like my baked ziti without ricotta .
More Fried Appetizers to Try!
Fried Pickles (Ranch Pickles)
Fried Buffalo Wings Recipe
Toasted Ravioli
Fried Mashed Potato Balls (Loaded Mashed Potato Bites)
Arancini Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Frying Thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth*
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 cup arborio rice**
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese cut into ½ inch cubes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes. 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth*, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 cup arborio rice**
- Spread the rice out on a baking sheet and place in the fridge to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Once the rice is cool, add it to a bowl and stir in parmesan cheese and parsley. ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Form the rice mixture into 16 balls. Place them on a baking sheet.
- Stuff each ball with a cube of mozzarella. Press the rice together so that the mozzarella is completely encased. 4 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Grab 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, beat the eggs. In the third stir together the panko and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Bread the arancini by first coating them in the flour, then egg, and finally panko, using your hands to gently press the panko to adhere. Place them back on your baking sheet once they are breaded.
- Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan to 350°F. Grab another sheet pan and line it with paper towels. Vegetable oil
- Working in batches, fry the arancini until golden on all sides. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. While they are hot, sprinkle on a little extra sea salt.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce. Marinara sauce
Notes
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
