Air Fryer Arancini

These air fryer arancini are the perfect appetizer that comes together quick. Serve with your favourite marinara sauce on the side for dipping!

These super crispy air fried arancini are guaranteed to become a new favourite. The crispy exterior and creamy inside provide the perfect contrast. Stuff the arancini with shredded cheese for more of a cheesy bite, you won’t regret it!

True story – half of the reason I enjoy making risotto is because I use the leftovers for arancini. There’s just something about crispy rice balls that keep me coming back for more. So the next time you’re planning to make risotto, make extra! And then use that leftover risotto for these air fried arancini. Because if you’re going to make risotto, you might as well make extra and enjoy it in other ways.

Ingredients

This air fryer arancini is so simple to make once you have your cooked and cooled risotto. Here’s everything you’ll need to make these.

• Leftover cooked risotto (chilled)
• Shredded fontina cheese: or use another shredded cheese, such as mozzarella
• Breadcrumbs: any type will work. I love the crunchiness I get from panko in the air fryer, although it isn’t traditional at all.
• Avocado oil spray
• Parmigiano-Reggiano (for topping)
• Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
• Tomato sauce/marinara sauce (for serving)
• flaky salt (for garnish)

Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Arancini

• So crispy on the outside, with a soft, creamy center of rice and cheese (and butter from the risotto!)
• Easy to prep ahead of time & they freeze well.
• Minimal ingredients required.
• No breading needed. You only need to roll the rice balls in the breadcrumbs.
• Super quick to make in the air fryer.

How to Make Arancini in the Air Fryer

Making air fryer arancini at home is SO easy. You just need a little prep time to stuff the arancini with cheese, roll them into balls and then in the breadcrumbs. No breading station, with flour and eggs are required!

Using a large cookie scoop (about 1/4-1/3 cup), roll your risotto into balls.

Press down in the center and stuff with some of the shredded cheese and then close it back up. Set them aside on a parchment lined baking sheet until all are done.

Preheat your air fryer to 380℉. Pour the breadcrumbs into a bowl, or on a large plate.

Roll the risotto in the breadcrumbs, being sure they are well coated.

Place in the air fryer and spray with oil. Bake for ten to 12 minutes, flipping halfway and giving one more spray on the other side.

Turn the heat up to 400℉ and air fry for two to three minutes, until browned and crispy. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Carefully remove the arancini and repeat with remaining rice balls.

Transfer to a plate or serving dish and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley with sauce on the side. Garnish with flaky salt if using. Enjoy while warm.

Tips

• Always check on the arancini: start checking on your arancini close to the timing I recommend. All air fryers are so different, so it’s best to check on them to be sure they aren’t browning too quickly.
• Use a basic risotto recipe: you don’t want to have a lot going on in the risotto, keep it simple by using a saffron risotto (Milanese risotto) or even use my cacio e pepe risotto recipe.
• Spray well: you want to get the outside nice and browned and crispy, so give the arancini a good spritz of avocado oil just before going in the air fryer.
• Stuff the risotto balls well: I went light on the cheese because I ran out and wish I had used more. If you really want a good cheese pull, you’ll need to stuff them fairly well.
• Breadcrumbs: although not traditional at all, I really enjoy using panko because it gets so crispy and golden brown in the air fryer. Use whichever type you like.

Substitutions

• Gluten-free: use gluten free breadcrumbs.
• Dairy-free: use a dairy-free cheese to stuff, or omit. 

Can I freeze arancini?

Yes! I personally love making a big batch of these air fryer arancini and then freezing them for later.

Here’s how to do it:

• Roll the risotto (stuff them with the cheese if using) into balls and coat them in breadcrumbs. Lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for one hour.
• Remove from the baking sheet and place them in a freezer safe plastic bag (or container) and freeze.
• Cook from frozen in the air fryer the same way, they will need an additional couple of minutes or so.

Which Air Fryer Do I Use & Recommend

I’ve tried three different air fryers over the years and here are my top two picks.

Cosori Air Fryer

The first air fryer I use and recommend is the Cosori. Here’s what I love about it:

• So crispy: this air fryer gets food super crispy, golden and brown without a lot of oil. Which is the whole point after all!
• Responsive: the digital touch is very responsive and easy to use.
• Size: it’s large enough to fit a good amount of food in it, without taking up too much space on the counter or tucked away.
• Heats up quickly: the preheat function is fast and works quickly.
• Cooks quickly: I love how powerful this air fryer is and appreciate how quickly it can cook food.

There’s not much I dislike about this air fryer to be honest. It performs amazingly well!

Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer 6 Qt, PFAS-Free Ceramic Coating, 90°–450°F, Precise Heating for Even Results, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil, Dry, Frozen, Proof, Reheat, Keep Warm, 120V, Dark Gray

Buy Now →

Our Place: The Wonder Oven

And the second, is the Wonder Oven from Our Place. Here’s what I love about it.

• Aesthetically pleasing: as with all Our Place products, the design is unmatched. This means you can leave it out on your countertop and don’t need to hide it away in a cluttered drawer.
• Non-toxic: the trays that come with the Wonder Oven are all non-toxic and made from stainless steel and aluminum with a toxin-free nonstick ceramic coating. This is SO hard to find with other types of air fryers and is the main reason I use it so much.
• Different cooking modes: this is not just an air fryer, it can air fry, bake, toast, roast, reheat and broil. I also love the steam function for bringing breads back to life.

Here’s what I don’t like about Our Place Wonder Oven:

• Hard to keep clean: the door and sheet tray have gotten quite dirty over the years and it’s hard to maintain it, even after cleaning after every use.
• Stopped turning off: the older version I have has also stopped turning off, so I have to unplug it all the time. The newer version could be updated and this isn’t an issue anymore, I’m not sure?
• Less powerful: I find the “air-fry” mode slightly less powerful than other standalone air fryers.

Can I Bake Arancini in the Oven?

Of course you can. I’m not sure if they will get as crispy as the air fryer, but I’m sure it will work.

You would likely need to increase the temperature on the oven to at least 400℉ and add an extra six to eight minutes. You could increase the temperature at the end of cooking to brown it a bit more.

I would recommend spraying with oil or brushing with oil before putting them in.

Storage

These air fried arancini balls taste best when served hot and fresh because that’s when they are the crispiest.

However, you can keep leftover air fried arancini in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.

Reheat in the air fryer or oven to get them crispy again.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Looking for more air fryer goodness, check these ones out!

• Air fryer calamari
• Air fryer Jalapeño Poppers
• Bang Bang Shrimp (air fryer)
• Crispy Brie & Fig Jam Stuffed Phyllo Bites
• Buffalo Chicken Strips (air fryer)
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
• Breakfast Taquitos (air fryer)
• Thai Sweet Chili Chicken (air fryer)

If you make these air fryer arancini please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!

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