Easy Vegan Breakfasts: Recipe | Easy Baked Arancini

Last Thursday I shared my Lemony Asparagus Risotto recipe with you and I promised that there was a part two coming soon. Well, guess what? It’s time for Lemony Asparagus Risotto Part 2: The Reckoning. (That sounds more ominous and vaguely threatening than delicious, huh?)

Every risotto recipe I’ve ever made yielded a lot of risotto. A lot. Since it’s just my husband and me in our household, that means there’s always leftovers. But leftover risotto is kind of an abomination. It’s never as creamy as the first day you make it and it’s just kind of off and disappointing and even a little bit depressing. So here’s what you need to do when you have leftover risotto: you need to make baked arancini.

Traditionally, arancini is fried in a skillet or deep-fryer. But risotto is a little on the heavy side, so adding even more fat from frying isn’t the best idea. Arancini is often stuffed with cheese too, but I’ve omitted this as well. That doesn’t mean this baked arancini is healthy, but it’s a little more virtuous than its deep-fried, cheese-stuffed counterpart. Done correctly, baked arancini has the same crunchy exterior and creamy interior as the fried variety, without the greasiness.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it with any leftover risotto you have on hand. You can form the arancini into smaller balls and serve them as an appetizer or use them as an entree or side dish. Arancini is versatile like that! I like to serve mine with marinara sauce, but last week How To Ice A Cake one-upped me by posting recipes for Arancini Salad and Arancini Grilled Cheese—see what I mean about arancini’s versatility?

So next time you have leftover risotto, for the love of all things holy, don’t microwave it and eat it as is. Make this easy baked arancini instead.

Easy Baked Arancini

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 arancini

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko or breadcrumbs (personally, I prefer panko, even if it’s not really authentic)
olive oil cooking spray or mister
3 cup leftover risotto
1 egg, beaten in a small bowl
marinara sauce, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Put flour and panko onto two plates and spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
Roll risotto into 1/4 cup-sized balls. Coat with flour, then egg, and roll in panko until completely coated.
Transfer arancini to baking sheet and spray with additional olive oil, being sure to coat all sides as best as you can. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and heated through.
Serve with warm marinara sauce.