Mushroom Arancini (Crispy Italian Risotto Balls)

There are few things more satisfying than breaking open a crisp golden arancino to reveal creamy mushroom risotto and gooey mozzarella. To give leftover risotto a second life, that’s arguably better than its first, surely must be one of Italy’s greatest gifts? I’ll let you decide…

I've long been a fan of arancini, the delectable and completely addictive texture sensation from Italy. Sampling them in Sicily is one of my greatest memories. The cafe down the hill from my lodgings was my port of call every morning - I'd done my knee in before arrving in Sicily, but I managed to hobble down that hill without fail for my morning hit of crunchy, creamy, cheesy rice balls. That's dedication (greed).

I've been cooking arancini for many years at home, because they're simple and incredibly popular! I make all styles of risotto at home, and always make bumper quantities knowing I'll have leftovers and therefore arancini. Risotto is almost an afterthought!

Mushroom risotto leads to my favourite version - mushroom arancini have so much flavour - a savoury umami earthiness with a molten cheesy centre is just perfection in your hand. THAT'S the reason I cook these again and again - they're hard to beat!

Making arancini is actually simpler than you'd think - it's a game of two halves - first the risotto, then the creation of the arancini themselves. Whether you do this in one go, or in stages it's a simple and straightforward affair. My arancini are also a little smaller than the Sicilian classic which are massive, I find these make for a better antipasti snack than the 'all-in' traditional size.

This recipes is part of my ever growing Italian Collection and also the curated Regional Italian hub for likeminded treasures.

What's Ahead?

What Are Arancini?

Arancini are one of Sicily’s best-loved street foods – crisp, golden balls of risotto that are coated in breadcrumbs and fried until beautifully crunchy on the outside while staying creamy in the middle. Their name comes from the Italian word arancia (orange), meaning “little oranges”, thanks to their round shape and rich golden colour.

Thought to have originated in Sicily over a thousand years ago, arancini were traditionally made as a practical way to use leftover rice, transforming it into something even more delicious. Today they’re found all over Italy in countless variations, from simple mozzarella-filled versions to hearty fillings of slow-cooked ragù, peas, ham or pistachios. If you’ve ever come across Roman supplì, they’re a close cousin of arancini. While both are fried rice croquettes, supplì are traditionally made with tomato risotto and mozzarella, whereas Sicilian arancini are larger and come with a much wider variety of fillings.

This mushroom version is a more modern interpretation, but one that feels right at home in an Italian kitchen. Creamy mushroom risotto, nutty Parmesan and gooey mozzarella come together inside a crisp shell to create an irresistible bite that’s every bit as comforting as the classics.

Why You'll LOve These

• Authentic Italian recipe with a twist - Mushroom is a perfect flavour for arancini!
• Perfect for leftover risotto - Make more risotto to ensure you have 'leftovers'
• Crispy exterior - my favourite 'flavour'.
• Gooey mozzarella centre - who doesn't like a surprise? And you don't have to stop at mozarella (see below).
• Great for freezing - arancini are then just a quick bake away.
• Excellent starter or antipasto - Arancini often become the star of the show.

Why Mushroom make Excellent Arancini

Mushrooms are already a very popular ingredient in Italian cuisine and their earthy, umami flavour lends itself perfectly to rice. All their truffle-esque flavour comes to the fore and when used in leftover risotto, the flavours are even more pronounced. Don't get me wrong, traditional arancini are stellar, but I just can't look past this recipe.

myMY mushroom risotto really amps up the mushroom flavour - there's no 'light hint of mushroom' in my recipe - it's a full on assault of delicious earthy 'shroom - this makes a huge difference.

Ingredients You'll Need

Making my mushroom arancini is easy, there's not a lot to grab hold of - here's what you'll need.

• Mushrooms - I use a combination of chopped up Portabello and Brown Mushrooms. I also add some rehydrated Porcini mushrooms (and their soaking liquid) as it really ramps up the flavour.
• Carnaroli Rice - the right rice makes all the difference. Traditional short-grained Carnaroli has more starch, which means a creamier risotto and therefore a more decadent arancini.
• Other risotto ingredients include: onion, white wine, fresh oregano, mushroom (or vegetable) broth and finally butter and Parmigiano Reggiano which is beaten into the risotto at the end to give its luxurious silkiness.
• Ingredients for the arancini are simple. Mozzarella cubes, flour, egg, breadcrumbs and oil for deep frying.

Step by Step

Making arancini doesn't take a lot of effort and the pressure is somewhat off when making the risotto. The risotto police are more lenient in that you don't need the perfect soupy texture as you'll be leaving this to cool completely where it will seize up into a mouldable mass. Pressure off! Here's how to make the most perfect mushroom arancini.

Stage 1: Making the Mushroom Risotto

1. Soak the porcini - Soak the porcini in about 1 cup of freshly boiled water for 15 minutes. Remove from the soaking liquid, then pass the liquid through a fine sieve to catch any grit. Pour the mushroom liquid into a pan with the broth and heat until just bubbling. Turn the heat down to keep hot. Chop the soaked porcini and set aside.
2. Over a medium heat, gently fry the onion in a little oil for 2 minutes until soft. Add the chopped mushrooms, including the porcini and stir-fry for 7-8 minutes until all the water has evaporated from the mushrooms.
3. Add the carnaroli rice and stir for 1-2 minutes to mix everything together well.
4. Pour in the wine and let it sizzle for 30 seconds to burn off the alcohol.
5. Add 2-3 ladles of the broth and let it come to a bubble. Stir frequently to ensure the starch comes of out the grains to create a creamy risotto. After most of the broth is soaked up, add 1-2 more ladles of broth.
6. Repeat this process for 20-25 minutes in total, until the rice is cooked through and loses its chalky texture - the texture should be loose, like a creamy soup. Remove from the heat.
7. Add the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano and beat (mantecare) to create a rich, creamy texture. Leave the risotto to cool completely. (you can pour it into a large platter and refrigerate when cooled and leave for 1-3 days in the fridge).

Stage 2: Making the Arancini

1. Arrange 3 bowls for your breading station. One with flour, one with the beaten egg and the last with breadcrumbs.
2. Take a heaped 1/4 cup of the risotto and mould into a ball. Press your finger into the centre and make a hole. Place a cube of cheese into the centre and then cover over and mould back into a ball.
3. Roll the ball into the flour to coat. Gently tap to remove the excess flour then dip into the egg and coat completely, shake gently to remove the excess egg, then dip and roll in the breadcrumbs to completely coat the ball. Place on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining risotto. Place the arancini in the fridge for 1 hour to 'set' this will make for better results as the breadcrumbs will stick better.
4. Heat enough oil in a medium saucepan that will completely submerge the arancini when frying (5–8 cm (2–3 inches)). When the oil reaches around 175°C (350°F), gently lower 4-5 arancini into the oil (down't overcrowd the pan). Fry for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.
5. Remove from the pan and cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips for the perfect Arancini

• Variations on cheese - smoked mozzarella is an amazing alternative. Secondly It would be remiss if I didn't also recommend you try a blue cheese like Gorgonzola which is the PERFECT partner to mushroom, you'll lose the stringy gooey centre, but will gain so much in flavour. Trust me, this is a top-notch alternative.
• Panko breadcrumbs - typically arancini use fine breadcrumbs which are great, but I think that Japanese panko crumbs offer a superior texture - they're larger and when fried, create a very crunchy and pleasing coating. My Italian friend agrees, so that's that. :)
• Use leftover risotto - it will be the perfect texture the following day to mould into balls that hold their shape.
• Set the arancini in the fridge - Leaving the arancini after breading will guarantee the coating sticks to the balls better.
• Keep an eye on the oil temperature - too cold and your arancini will be greasy, too hot and they'll burn before the cheesy interior has had a chance to melt properly. Nobody likes a spoilt surprise! Remember around 175°C (350°F) for frying.
• Don't overcrowd the pan - this will reduce the heat of the oil too sharply and you'll end up with greasy arancini.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

• Hot arancini are superior in flavour and texture. You can make them in advance and heat in a 200ºC/400ºF oven for 10-15 minutes - this will restore their crispy exterior.
• Freezing arancini is possible and you can also reheat from frozen in a 200ºC/400ºF oven for 20-25 minutes.
• You can reheat in an air fryer at 180ºC/350ºF for 5-7 minutes or 10-12 minutes, from frozen.
• Avoid microwave reheating, you'll lose all the texture.
• I like to serve my arancini with a homemade aoli (creamy garlic mayonnaise). The two are fabulous partners. But honestly, they're so good on their own that I normally just throw a bowl into the centre of the table in a 'feeding the lions' affair, and watch them disappear in seconds.

Ready to get cooking?

I can't begin to tell you how much you'll appreciate this gentle spin on a Sicilian classic. It's one of those dishes born out of leftovers that I love more than the original dish - I truly make a 'double' risotto for dinner with the sole purpose of eating arancini the next day. They're one of life's great inventions and one of my most cooked Italian treasures. Hope you enjoy!

More Italian recipes

If you liked this recipe, I'm sure you'll love some more of my favourite Italian recipes.

• Nduja Risotto
• Beetroot Risotto with Taleggio Cheese
• Fennel Risotto
• Roman Supplì
• Sicilian Spring Onion & Pancetta
• Aeolian Salad (Sicilian Tomato Salad)

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