Vegan Arancini Balls Recipes

AIR FRYER ARANCINI

Steps:

• Beat 2 eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in rice, Parmesan cheese, butter, cheese sprinkle, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
• Preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees F (187 degrees C) according to manual's instructions.
• Roll mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Press a mozzarella cube into the center of each ball and reshape.
• Combine panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Beat remaining egg lightly in a second bowl. Dip each rice ball first into egg, then roll in panko mixture. Place rice balls in air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray.
• Cook in the preheated air fryer for 6 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and air fry for 3 more minutes.

VEGAN ARANCINI BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220°/fan 200°
• Whisk together the reserved aquafaba and the milk until well combined. Spread out the flour on a plate. Mix the breadcrumbs with a bit of salt and pepper and also place these on a plate.
• Take a small handful of risotto and form it into a flat circle in the cup of your hand. Place a small spoonful or square of cheese in the middle, then form the risotto over the top of the filling and roll it into a ball, around 2.5 inches in diameter.
• Roll the ball in the flour, then dunk in the milky aquafaba mixture, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Do this for the rest of the risotto mixture, placing each ball on a lined baking tray as you go.
• Spray the risotto balls evenly with the oil, then bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden and crunchy.

BAKED ITALIAN RICE BALLS (ARANCINI) WITH CREAMY MARINARA DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Simmer risotto rice in 1 cup of water + 1 cup of vegetable broth with tomato sauce, herbes de provence, sea salt and paprika.
• While the rice is cooking, prepare the bread crumb mixture. Stir together all of the bread crumb ingredients in a medium size bowl (breadcrumbs through to optional cayenne powder). Set aside 3 tbsp of the bread crumb mixture (you will mix this in with the cooked rice).
• Once the rice is cooked, add in the nutritional yeast and 3 tbsp of the bread crumb mixture to the warm rice. Stir together, cover and leave to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Once rice is cool, pre-heat oven to 400F/200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With an ice cream scoop (or spoon), scoop rice mixture onto a lined baking sheet. You should have 11 equal sized balls on the baking sheet.
• Prepare a small bowl of cold water to dampen your hands slightly before rolling the rice balls. This helps the breadcrumbs to stick to the rice balls and helps the rice to not stick to your hands. Roll the rice mixture into round balls. Dip them generously into the breadcrumbs and place again on the baking sheet. Do this with all the rice balls until they are all evenly round and coated with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake for 25 minutes until crispy and brown. Broil for the final two minutes (but watch them closely not to burn the rice balls) to make them extra crispy. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before eating - they are hot!
• Toss all the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a blender and blend until creamy (I used an immersion stick blender but any blender should do). Serve the warm rice balls fresh out of the oven with the cold creamy marinara dipping sauce.

VEGAN ARTICHOKE ARANCINI

Steps:

• For the rice: Heat a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, shallots, garlic and salt. Cook until soft and fragrant, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the white wine and soy sauce and cook, stirring often, until the wine is almost entirely absorbed. Combine the vegetable broth and 1 cup water in a measuring cup. Add 1/2 cup of the broth mixture to the pot and cook, stirring, until almost completely absorbed, about 4 minutes. Continue adding the broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes in all. Stir in the artichokes. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Stir in the basil and then spread the rice out on a baking sheet to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• For frying: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil and vegetable oil until they register 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Set up a breading station with the flour, almond milk and breadcrumbs in separate, shallow containers. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop about 2 tablespoons of the cooled rice mixture into your hands and gently roll into a ball. Dredge the rice ball in the flour, then in the almond milk and finally in the breadcrumbs, packing them firmly. Repeat with the remaining rice.
• In batches of 4 or 5, fry the rice balls until golden brown on the outside and warmed through, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve with marinara for dipping, if desired.