Cheesy arancini with ricotta AKA the best way to use leftover risotto

The Story

I’m not going to lie to you. This is not an easy dish, nor is it quick to make. But oh man is the payoff huge. If you like risotto, fried things, and a cheese pull, don’t think twice…these cheesy arancini are for you.

You can technically make this with any flavor of risotto you like, made fresh or even to use up leftovers. I went classic for this version with a lemon and parmesan risotto, but you can also be more adventurous and try something like my gluten-free and dairy-free pesto risotto. If you use gluten-free flour (or skip it altogether and use cornstarch instead) and gluten-free breadcrumbs you can make a totally gluten-free and dairy-free version of this dish.

You can also stuff it with whatever you would like. My version uses a chunk of mozzarella cheese, but you can also do the super traditional Sicilian version which is filled with a cooked down, almost ragu, of meat and peas plus an optional hunk of cheese (I like this Classic Sicilian Arancini recipe from The Spruce Eats if you want to go that route).

I serve mine with a herby and garlic-y ricotta and tomato sauce on the side for dipping. But no one said you have to serve them the same way. Go completely out of left field and serve it with tartar sauce or a cucumber and dill yogurt (the lemon and parm risotto would go great with both of those sauces) or keep it mildly in the same arena and go with a spicy vodka sauce. The choice is yours!

The most important thing to bear in mind is that you need chilled risotto in order to form them into a ball shape which you’ll then fry. So, I find it easiest to make these when I have leftover risotto and the thought of heating it up in the microwave is not exciting me.

And don’t let frying scare you. I know it’s a technique many home cooks shy away from, but as long as you use a big enough pot and don’t overfill it with oil, there’s nothing to fear!

Difficulty: 5 on a scale of 1-5

Active time to prepare: 3 hours

Total time to prepare: 3 hours plus one day (includes full cooling time for risotto)

Serves: Makes 12 - 16 balls depending on how big you make them

The Ingredients

For the parmesan risotto:

3 cups/720 g good quality chicken stock (alternatively 3.5 cups water with 1 Tbsp./21 g chicken flavored better than boullion)

1 Parmesan rind

3 Tbsp./41 g olive oil

1 finely diced onion

1 cup/220 g arborio rice (you can also use carnaroli, bomba, or even a short grain Japanese rice)

1 cup/250 g white wine

Zest and juice of one lemon

1/4 cup/28 g grated parmesan

2 Tbsp./28 g cold butter cut into small pieces

For the roasted garlic and herb ricotta:

1/4 cup/54 g olive oil

1 head of garlic with the pointy end chopped off, exposing the tip of the cloves

1 cup/250 g ricotta

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch basil

Zest one lemon

For the tomato sauce (optional)

3 Tbsp./41 g olive oil

1 large white onion minced

6 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp./84 g tomato paste

1/2 cup/125 g red wine

1 14 oz/400 g can whole peeled tomatoes

1 bunch basil, stems and leaves separate, leaves roughly chopped

1 Parmesan rind (optional)

For the breading and assembly

3 oz./85 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese cut into cubes

1/2 cup/60 g flour

2 eggs beaten with a splash of water

1.5 cups/90 g panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup/30 g Italian breadcrumbs

Light-colored oil (i.e., vegetable, sunflower, avocado, grapeseed, canola, etc.)

The Recipe

For the parmesan risotto:

1. In a pot, place your chicken broth set over low heat. Add the parmesan rind and let steep for 30 minutes.

2. In a large soup pot, add 3 Tbsp./41 g olive oil.

3. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened (6 - 8 minutes approx.).

4. Add the rice, season with more salt, stir to coat in the oil, and cook until the grains look lightly toasted (6 - 8 minutes approx.).

5. Add the white wine. Stir to incorporate and let the risotto cook. If the bubbles are huge and fast, lower the heat. The mixture should be at a slight simmer.

6. Once the wine has been absorbed, stir vigorously. (3 - 4 minutes approx.).

7. Add two small ladles full of stock to the rice. Stir to incorporate and let the risotto cook over a slight simmer until it has been 90% absorbed.

8. Stir vigorously to ensure no grains are sticking to the bottom.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until the grains are 80% cooked.

   *NOTE: remember the grains will carry over cooking while they cool and they’ll cook a bit more when you fry them. If you’re using leftover risotto, don’t worry about it. The grains inside may be more cooked, but the crush from the coating makes up for them not being “al dente” inside.

10. Turn off the heat and add the lemon zest, juice, grated parmesan, and cold butter. Stir very vigorously shaking the pan back and forth until everything is incorporated. It should be very creamy.

11. Check for seasoning.

12. Pour the cooked risotto into a baking dish with a raised edge. The baking dish should be big enough so that the rice has a chance to spread out. Spread the risotto over the entirety of the base.

13. Cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer if you’re in a hurry. It should be solid, but not frozen. Set aside.

For the roasted garlic and herb ricotta:

1. Preheat the oven to 230° C/450° F.

2. Place the bulb of garlic with the exposed cloves facing up on a doubled-up sheet of aluminum foil. Cover with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the foil package on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven until the head of garlic gives when you lightly press on either side (20 minutes approx.). Set aside until fully cooled.

4. In a food processor add the olive oil from roasting the garlic and carefully squeeze the head of garlic to remove all of the cloves.

5. Add the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and pulse until you get a consistency you like.

   *NOTE: I left mine on the chunky side, but you can chop it all the way down until it’s really smooth and green from the herbs.

6. Set aside.

For the tomato sauce:

1. In a large rondon or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add the onion, still on medium heat. Season with a sprinkle of salt and cook until softened (7-8 minutes total).

3. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, around another 5 minutes.

4. Add the tomato paste, and cook until it darkens to a brick-red color (3-5 minutes).

5. Deglaze with red wine. Cook until reduced and the alcohol evaporates (3-5 minutes).

6. Add the can of tomatoes and crush them with the back of your spoon to break them up. Fill the tomato can once with water and add it to the pan. Stir.

7. Add the basil stems and the Parmesan rind. Simmer for 30 minutes.

8. Remove the Parm rind and the basil stems from the sauce.

9. Add the basil leaves and stir until fully combined. Set aside.

   *NOTE: This will give you a chunkier sauce, but if you like a more silky tomato sauce, you can blend it before serving.

For the frying and assembly:

1. Form the cold risotto into 12 - 16 patties. Take a cube of cheese and carefully wrap it so that none of the cheese is exposed. Chill in the freezer while you do the rest of the assembly.

2. Lay out three plates or rimmed baking trays. Fill each one with flour, beaten egg, and a mix of panko and Italian breadcrumbs.

3. Carefully roll each of your cheesy arancini in the flour, then the egg, and lastly the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure you remove the excess flour and then the egg before coating in breadcrumbs. Place the breaded arancini in the refrigerator while you heat the oil.

4. Pour the oil into a medium/large pot, making sure you have around 2 inches/5 cm. Heat the oil until a thermometer reads 175° C/350° F.

5. Using a spider, carefully place the arancini in the oil working in batches so that the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much.

6. Fry until golden brown on all sides (5 - 7 minutes approx.). Remove onto a plate or baking try lined with paper towels and season with salt.

7. Serve with your preferred combo of sauces.

DO AHEAD: You can (and even should) make the risotto one to two days in advance. Formed arancini stuffed with cheese can be made up to one day in advance.

LEFTOVERS: Fried items are not the easiest to eat as leftovers, but you can always give them a bit of a reheat in the air fryer. They should stay good for one or two days after frying.