Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Easy Baked Rice Balls (Arancini)

Easy Baked Rice Balls (Arancini)

Tracking Pixel Today I have the pleasure of partnering with Minute® Rice to create this mouth-watering recipe. As always, thank you for supporting the products I love and use in my kitchen.

We all have our guilty pleasures and, while mine are usually sweet, rice balls have the savory honor. There's a gourmet Italian market dangerously close to my apartment and they make the most perfect arancini. They also have an amazing produce selection which is why I go there...cough, cough...OK, moving right along.

Easy Baked Rice Balls (Arancini)
I've actually been meaning to make my own rice balls and probably have half a dozen recipes pinned. But it usually involves making risotto first and deep frying and somehow the recipe keeps falling to the bottom of my to-do list. But I've found in the past that sometimes the way to get started on a complex recipe is to make a simpler version first.

Cue my box of Minute® Rice and my go-to non-frying method, the oven. My favorite thing about Minute® Rice, apart from how quickly it can be prepared, is actually how perfectly each individual grain cooks. So it was almost a shame to make it goopy (a technical cooking term) with cheese but it does make for better rice balls. Very good rice balls, actually, Minute® Rice also comes in brown rice and a new multi-grain medley so more rice ball experimentation might be needed here. And just like that store is too dangerously close to my house, this recipe is too dangerously easy to make. But, it's the holidays so I have company to help me eat them all. Enjoy!


Easy Baked Rice Balls (Arancini)
by Hungry Couple
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients (Makes 1 Dozen)
  • 1 Cup Minute® Rice
  • 1 Cup water
  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2/3 Cup seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Easy Baked Rice Balls (Arancini)
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Stir in one tablespoon of the butter, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and fold in the bacon and parsley.
Using a scoop (I used a 1 oz. scoop) or your hands, form the rice mixture into balls. Melt the remaining butter and spread the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip each rice ball into the butter and then into the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the rice balls and continue baking for an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. Serve hot with or without a dipping sauce.
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This is a sponsored post, written by me on behalf of Minute® Rice.

16 comments:

  1. Arancini - music to my ears!! Can't wait to try this recipe. Might even buy the best mozzarella I can find to make them special:)

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  2. looooh what a clever way to make easy arancini!!

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  3. Well, I'm definitely going to be making these just as soon as I can! Pinning and stumbling. Thanks for the recipe!

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  4. I just ate dinner and I'm wanting these - all of them, the whole platter. Oh yea!

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  5. I love rice balls and these look great. Catherine

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  6. I've always wanted to make arancini...and you've made it even easier with Minute Rice! I may be tackling this recipe sooner than later :)

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  7. I've never made arancini because of the whole frying thing too, Anita. But clearly baking works wonderfully too. They look delicious!

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  8. What kinds of dipping sauce would be good with these? They look yummy!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Wendy - Arancini are typically served with a marinara sauce. Enjoy!

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  9. tried this recipe this afternoon and it is easy and tasty, not as good as the ones i tasted in Agrigento, but still good

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  11. They are Turing out so good, can't wait to eat them. Mmm :)

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  12. Looks like a great comforting "light meal". Going to make when I can. Thanks for the great looking recipe.

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  13. My balls had trouble keeping formed. Anyone have tips for that? Flavor is nice though!!

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    Replies
    1. I find that using a cookie scoop and packing it tightly helps the balls to keep their shape. You can also try wetting your hands a bit when handling the ball. That's a trick I use to make matzo balls. You can also try adding a bit more cheese to make sure the mixture is extra gooey. I hope these ideas work.

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