How to Make Vegan Arancini (Deep-Fried Risotto Balls)
These are mozzarella stuffed risotto balls that are coated in panko breadcrumbs, deep-fried, and dipped in marinara sauce. These are a labor of love but easy to make and worth it nonetheless!
Ingredients
Mushroom Risotto
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable or vegan chicken stock
- 1 cup vegan dry white wine, I use a pinot grigio
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, small diced
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, medium-small diced (Feel free to leave out the mushrooms)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 cup arborio rice (You MUST use arborio rice!)
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan (I use Follow Your Heart's)
- *Optional: 1 tsp TRUFF black truffle infused olive oil
Arancini
- 1 quart vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup liquid Just Egg (See "tiparooskis," located below the recipe, for a substitution)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 10 one inch cubes of vegan mozzaralla, (I use Follow Your Heart's block of slices and I carefully cut it into cubes)
- Kosher salt, for seasoning the arancini at the end
- Marinara or pasta sauce, for dipping (I used TRUFF's truffle-infused pomodoro pasta sauce!)
Instructions
Mushroom Risotto
- Add the stock and white wine into a medium-sized saucepan and place it over medium-low heat. This should never simmer, but it needs to stay warm.
- Place a large saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in the olive oil and butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add in the diced onions and saute them for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Now, add in the diced mushrooms, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the salt and pepper into the pan, stir well, and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and rice into the pan and constantly stir for 3 minutes.
- Turn the heat down ever so slightly, so it's at a medium/medium-low heat. Then, add 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock/wine mixture. Stir the rice constantly-IMPORTANT.
- Once all of the liquid has absorbed into the rice, add another 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock/wine mix, and stir constantly. Repeat this step until all of the stock mix has been added. NOTE: You need to stir the rice constantly until the very end. You will be cooking and stirring the rice for about 25-28 minutes.
- Once you've added in the last 1/2 cup of stock mix, continue cooking the rice for two minutes, then turn the heat off. Now add in the vegan parmesan and stir until the parmesan has melted. This is optional, but it adds a lovely flavor, add the TRUFF truffle oil into the rice and stir well.
- Allow the risotto to cool down to room temperature. Then, if you plan to make the arancini on the same day, scrape the risotto onto a parchment paper-lined large sheet pan, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Alternatively, you can put the risotto in an air-tight container and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
Arancini
- Line a medium-sized sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Divide the risotto into 1/4 cup portions. Then, flatten one in your hand at a time and place a vegan mozzarella cube in the center. Form the risotto into a ball, enclosing the mozzarella inside. Put the rice ball on the sheet pan and place it in the freezer to keep cold while you repeat this step with the other portions of risotto.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a medium-sized saucepot and preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Please use a thermometer, as these need to be fried at the correct temperature.
- Place the flour, panko, and Just Egg in three separate wide, shallow bowls.
- To bread the risotto balls, coat one at a time in the flour entirely, and then shake off the excess.
- Then coat it entirely in the Just Egg, making sure to miss no spots.
- Lastly, coat it in the panko bread crumbs and pat the breadcrumbs on the ball as necessary. Repeat this step with a couple more balls.
- Gently place them in the fryer and fry them for 5 minutes, turning them over and around as needed.
- Place the arancini on a wire rack lined sheet pan and season them with a sprinkle of salt.
- Dip in marinara or pasta sauce of your choice and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!