Air Fryer Arancini (2024)

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 go through the trouble of making risotto, you might as well make extra and enjoy it in other ways. Another truth - I don't think risotto is much trouble at all. It just takes patience and attention. I actually find the stirring quite meditative and relaxing.

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.

If you want to do this too, just 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 sealed freezer safe plastic bag (or container) until ready to enjoy.

Cook from frozen in the air fryer the same way, they may 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 my most recent is also my favourite.

It's the Wonder Oven from Our Place. I absolutely love it and highly recommend it, for several reasons.

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 SOhard to find with other types of air fryers and is the main reason Iuse 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.
Compact size:Ilove how small and mighty it is. It won't take up much room on your countertops, something that was so important to me living in a condo with limited countertop space.

The only drawbacks I've noticed while using this is the timer function. It's not digital and can be hard to be precise when using it. So I prefer to just use the timer on my oven or microwave when using it to be sure it's exact. The knob also has to be turned off manually by turning it rather than having an on/off switch.

But honestly, other than those missing features, it's such a great appliance and Ido recommend it.

You can check out Our PlaceWonder Oven here!

Can IBake 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 AirFryer Recipes

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

Ready to make this? Let's get to it!

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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