Arancini al Forno

Craving a crispy, cheesy Italian classic without the guilt of deep-frying? Meet Arancini al Forno! They’re golden, baked rice balls bursting with seasoned ground beef, marinara, and molten cheese. All the flavor, all the crunch, none of the grease!

These golden bites are incredibly versatile. Serve them as irresistible party appetizers with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a bowl of extra marinara for dipping. Or turn them into a light meal alongside a refreshing side salad. Feel free to make easy ingredient swaps for the filling and coating based on your preferences. Check out my Variations section below for more ideas!

What is arancini al forno?

Arancini al forno are a baked version of the classic Sicilian rice ball, which are traditionally deep-fried. 

Using key ingredients like Arborio rice, Parmesan, eggs, a meat-marinara filling, and mozzarella, they’re shaped into tight balls, breaded, and baked until ultra crispy and golden on the outside while deliciously ooey-gooey in the center. 

These baked rice balls provide the traditional flavors of arancini without the heaviness of frying.

Why you’ll love these rice balls

• This recipe delivers that irresistible crunchy exterior and melty, savory center without the heavy grease and mess of deep-frying.
• They can be assembled ahead of time, then baked straight from the fridge or freezer for a quick, crowd-pleasing meal.
• Serve them as an appetizer, a light main with a side salad, or even as a fun snack on-the-go!

How do you make this arancini al forno? 

Cook the rice:

1. Cook the Arborio rice in the chicken or vegetable broth until tender and sticky. 
2. Once cooked, mix in the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and the beaten eggs. 
3. Allow the rice to cool completely before handling as warm rice is difficult to shape. To speed up cooling, spread the rice in a thin layer on a tray.

Prepare the filling:

1. While the rice cools, combine the cooked ground beef with the marinara sauce. 
2. Cut the mozzarella cheese into small cubes so they are easy to stuff without breaking the rice balls apart.

Shape the arancini:

1. Take a handful of the cooled rice and flatten it in your palm. 
2. Place 1 teaspoon of the meat filling and one mozzarella cube in the center, then mold the rice around the filling into a tight ball. Repeat for all balls. 

Coat the balls:

1. Dip each rice ball into the beaten eggs, then roll it in the Italian-style breadcrumbs. 
2. Place the coated balls on a lined baking sheet, leaving good space between each so they crisp up evenly.

Bake and Cool:

1. Brush each arancino with olive oil, then bake at 425°F (220°C) for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. 
2. Check around the 20-minute mark to ensure they are golden and not burnt. 
3. Let them cool slightly, then garnish with a small amount of finely chopped parsley before serving.

Serving

Serve these hearty and meaty rice balls with extra marinara (homemade or store-bought) for dipping into as a delicious appetizer alongside a fresh caprese salad or light garden salad. 

For a light meal, pair these arancini al forno with Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli. 

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: You can store baked arancini al forno in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze baked arancini al forno for up to 2 to 3 months in a single layer on a tray before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container.
• Cool the rice: Make sure to cool the freshly cooked rice after having mixed it with Parmesan, salt, and eggs. It’s a lot harder to handle warm rice when shaping the arancini. You can spread the rice on a tray to speed up the cooling or make it ahead and store in the fridge. 
• Cook ground beef ahead: Save yourself time and effort when making these arancino al forno by cooking extra ground beef earlier in the week that you can then use for these rice ball appetizers. 
• Small cubes of cheese: Cube your mozzarella into small uniform pieces so that they are easier to stuff without breaking the rice ball apart.
• Wet your hands: Keep your hands wet when molding the rice balls to avoid a sticky mess. 
• For extra crunch: Double-dip the egg-coated rice balls in breadcrumbs for extra crunch. It’s really good! A thin breadcrumb layer also results in soggy arancini. 
• Space the balls: Ensure there is enough space between the assembled balls on the baking tray so that they crisp up evenly while baking.
• Cool before serving: These freshly baked arancini al forno are lava-hot inside and can burn your tongue! Let them cool slightly before serving to eat. 
• Avoid overstuffing: These rice balls can burst open easily if you stuff them too much. Follow the recipe instructions for best results. 

Variations:

• Air Fryer option: Another healthy alternative to pan-frying is cooking these rice balls in an air fryer. The air fryer will also create super crispy outer edges. Cook the assembled rice balls at 380°F for an initial 8 minutes, flip, and cook for another 8 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. 
• Make with risotto: Skip making the rice mixture from scratch and use leftover chilled risotto instead. 
• Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs. 
• Vegetarian option: Omit the ground beef and include other filling ingredients, such as peas, mushrooms, and other veggies. 
• Ground meat options: Instead of ground beef, consider making the meaty filling with ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey. 
• Marinara sauce: Use storebought or make your own. The meatier, the better!

Apart from marinara, these rice balls are great dipped into Sweet Onion Sauce, Sweet Onion Sauce, or Greek Yogurt Dip. 

More bite-sized appetizers you may want to try:

• Italian Nachos
• Biscuit Pretzels
• Bacon Ranch Pickle Poppers
• Caprese Salad Skewers
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Mini Peppers

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Arancini al Forno

Sandy Coughlin

Arancini al Forno are golden, baked rice balls bursting with seasoned beef, marinara, and molten cheese. All the flavor and crunch, none of the grease! 12-14 rice balls.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Yield: 12

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Ingredients

 

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Rice:

• 7 cups chicken broth, or as needed, warmed in saucepan
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup minced yellow onion
• 2½ cups short-grained rice, Arborio
• ¾ cups dry white wine
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

Breading:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream, or water
• 3 cups panko bread crumbs

Filling:

• 12 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 cup Meat Ragù, drained of excess liquid

Ragu:

• 1 lb. beef top round roast, fat removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb. pork tenderloin, silver skin & fat removed, coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 4 cups San Marzano tomatoes, or roasted tomatoes from garden: tomatoes, garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil & chopped basil leaves roasted @ 400°for 45 minutes.
• ½ cup tomato paste
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

 

The rice:

• Heat the chicken broth over low heat; keep warm.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the onion and sweat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and toast lightly without letting the rice or onion take on any color. Add the wine and cook until almost dry. Add some of the broth a little at a time, making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add more broth as it is absorbed. Cook the rice a little longer than usual so that it is thick and quite sticky, about 25 minutes.
• Remove rice from heat and add Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir vigorously. Let it cool slightly, then taste, season with salt and pepper, and incorporate the egg yolk, combining it well. Let rice cool.

Breading ingredients station:

• Put flour in a shallow bowl; beat eggs with cream/water in second bowl; put bread crumbs in third bowl.

Form rice balls:

• Flatten ball into thick pancake. Insert 1 piece of mozzarella and some of the meat. Pinch the rice back into the ball shape to enclose the filling. (about 1½ – 2 inches in diameter).Dip the rice balls into the flour, then the egg wash, and finally the bread crumbs.

Fry the rice balls:

• Fry the risotto balls until they are golden and crisp on the outside and heated through, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with Ragù sauce.

For the Ragù (meat sauce):

• Season meats with salt and place in 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes (long enough for meat to lose raw color). Add the onion, garlic, basil and bay leaves, stirring to cook the onion evenly (about 5 minutes). Add the wine. Stir to release any of drippings that are sticking to the pan. Let the wine cook down until it has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and bring sauce to a very gentle simmer for 3 to 4 hours, partially cover the pot, stirring occasionally, and adding water if the sauce seems too thick as it cooks. The finished sauce should be a deep, rich red color.

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Appetizer

Calories: 600kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 1247mg, Potassium: 820mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 847IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 351mg, Iron: 5mg

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