Free recipe Italian

Sicilian Arancini

Name: Sicilian Arancini
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups arborio rice; 5 cups chicken stock, hot; 1 pinch saffron threads, crumbled; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated; 2 large egg yolks; 8 oz ground beef, 85 percent lean; 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 cup tomato puree; 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed; 4 oz mozzarella cheese, low-moisture, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs; 8 cups vegetable oil, for frying; kosher salt, to taste; marinara sauce, warm, for serving

Crisp golden rice balls filled with a savory beef and pea ragu and melting mozzarella, fried and served with warm marinara.

By Priya Hollis, Head of Shop & Product Published August 14, 2025

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Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 8
Level: Advanced

Arancini, the little oranges of Sicily, are street food at its most satisfying: saffron-tinted risotto wrapped around a rich meat ragu and a cube of mozzarella, breaded and fried until shatteringly crisp.

The key is cold rice. Cooking the risotto base a day ahead, or at least chilling it for a few hours, makes it firm enough to shape without cracking. Parmesan and egg yolks bind the rice, and a simple slurry of flour and water holds the breadcrumbs in place better than egg alone.

They take some time, so make a big batch. Serve them warm with marinara, or pack them for a picnic the way Sicilians do; they are delicious at room temperature too.

Crisp shell, molten center
Saffron rice and beef ragu
Freezer-friendly party snack

Directions

Stir the saffron into the hot stock. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the rice and toast for 1 minute, then add the stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
Off the heat, stir in the remaining butter, the parmesan and salt to taste, then the egg yolks. Spread the rice on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
For the ragu, brown the beef in 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes, then the garlic for 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup water, and simmer for 15 minutes until very thick. Stir in the peas, season with salt and let cool completely.
Whisk the flour with 1 1/4 cups of water into a smooth, pancake-batter-thick slurry. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.
With damp hands, flatten about 1/3 cup of cold rice into a cupped disk in your palm. Add 1 tablespoon of ragu and a cube of mozzarella to the center.
Bring the rice up around the filling, adding a little more rice to seal, and roll into a smooth ball or cone. Repeat with the remaining rice to make about 16.
Dip each ball into the flour slurry, let the excess drip off, then roll in the breadcrumbs until fully coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 350 degrees F.
Fry the arancini 3 or 4 at a time, turning gently, for 4 to 5 minutes until deep golden brown and heated through.
Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Test-kitchen tips

Breaded, unfried arancini freeze well for up to 1 month; fry from frozen at 325 degrees F for 8 to 9 minutes.
Keep a bowl of water nearby while shaping; damp hands stop the sticky rice from clinging to your fingers.
For a vegetarian version, skip the beef and fill the rice with mozzarella, peas and sauteed mushrooms.