Oven-Baked Gluten Free Arancini Recipe - no frying required! (2024)

FAQs

How do you stop arancini from falling apart? ›

Simmering risotto and frying the arancini are simple tasks, but the step in between is crucial: Do not skimp on chilling your risotto. If it is not properly chilled, it will fall apart in the hot oil instead of forming crisp, glistening, orbs filled with molten cheese.

If deep frying isn't your thing, try baking the arancini instead. Place arancini on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spray well with olive oil. Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes or until crisp.

If you don't have a lot of time to chill the rice, make sure it's spread out as thin as possible. It's important for the starches to gel in order for the rice balls to stick together. The minimum amount of time that I have chilled the rice is 1 hour, and the arancini held together successfully.

Rice

Arancini / Main ingredient

Use Freshly Cooked Rice: For the best results, it's generally recommended to use freshly cooked rice when making onigiri. Freshly cooked rice is warm, moist, and sticky, which makes it easier to shape into the desired form and ensures that the onigiri holds together well.

Wetting your hands in a saltwater mixture prevents the grains from sticking to your fingers as you shape the onigiri and helps to season the rice ball.

Transfer to a tray and set aside. Half-fill a large, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-low until it reads 170C on a cooking thermometer or until a piece of bread turns golden brown in the oil within 45 seconds.

When the oil comes to temperature: Carefully slip 2 or 3 arancini into the oil (don't overcrowd the pot). Fry, turning as necessary with tongs or a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to the paper towel-lined baking sheet, keeping them hot in the oven if you like.

No direct scientific evidence links arancini to weight loss; however, broader principles like portion control and a balanced diet apply to it too. Adapting the recipe—using whole grains, reducing cheese amounts, choosing lean protein fillings, and using healthier cooking methods— can make arancini weight loss-friendly.

Make sure you are making them with freshly cooked rice, that's still hot, not cooled. Don't make onigiri with room-temperature rice..it will not stick together well and will dry out fast. The cooked rice should be nicely moist and plump to start with.

Why didn't my rice fluff up? ›

Maybe you took the lid off of the pot too early, letting the steam escape. Maybe you didn't add enough liquid to begin with. Whatever the case, if your rice is looking dried out, or the texture is still hard or crunchy when all the liquid has been absorbed, add up to ½ cup water and return to a simmer with the lid on.

Gluggy rice is simply rice that has been overcooked and absorbed too much water. If it sticks together in clumps, it usually indicates a lot of starch. You won't notice the starch coating each of the rice grains before you start cooking, but when it hits the water and heats up, it becomes extremely gluey.

Arancini are meant to be enjoyed as a finger food, on their own or with Homemade Marinara on the side to bring out the herby flavors. They also go great with a variety of appetizers, from roasted vegetables to bite-sized meatballs.

Arancini (UK: /ˌærənˈtʃiːni/, US: /ˌɑːr-/, Italian: [aranˈtʃiːni]; Sicilian: [aɾanˈtʃiːnɪ, -ˈdʒiː-]; sg. : arancino), also known as arancine ( sg. : arancina), are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. They are a staple of Sicilian cuisine.

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.

It's best to break up these clumps before putting the rice into the wok. Press the rice between the palms of your hands that have been dampened with cool water, so the grains don't stick to them. Use a wok (if you have one).

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.