Vegan Arancini / Fried Rice Balls
Vegan arancini are crispy, golden fried rice balls with a melty cheese center, made entirely without eggs or dairy. They start with leftover risotto, get stuffed with a cube of vegan cheese, coated in flour, a psyllium-and-water mixture, and Panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried until crunchy. They are the perfect way to turn yesterday’s rice into a crowd-pleasing Italian appetizer, served hot with marinara for dipping.
Here’s how you can easily make vegan arancini, also known as vegan fried rice balls or fried risotto balls. It’s the perfect recipe to make with leftover rice. Give it a try!
What arancini are and where they come from
Arancini are a classic Italian appetizer that originated in Sicily. They are stuffed rice balls coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crisp. Traditionally the filling varies by region: a ragù-style meat filling similar to the one used for a vegan Bolognese, mozzarella, or peas. They can be shaped into spheres or cones, and the name means “little orange,” which is exactly what they look like once fried to a deep golden brown.
This version keeps all the crunch and the gooey center while staying fully plant-based. The two swaps that make it work are vegan cheese in place of mozzarella and a simple psyllium-and-water mix standing in for the beaten egg that usually helps the breadcrumbs cling.
Why I deep-fry these instead of baking
There’s no way you can get the crispy texture without deep-frying, so when I decided to re-create this recipe I knew that baking wasn’t an option. The hot oil sets the breadcrumb crust almost instantly and seals the rice so it doesn’t dry out, which is what gives arancini that shatter-crisp shell and the soft, cheesy middle. Baked versions tend to come out pale and chewy, never quite reaching that fried-orange color the name promises.
To replace the eggs I use psyllium husks mixed with water. Once it sits for a minute it thickens to almost the consistency of egg whites, so it does the same job: it grips the flour underneath and gives the Panko something to stick to.
Ingredient notes
- Leftover cooked risotto — this recipe is built around it. Cold, day-old risotto is firmer and holds its shape far better than fresh, warm rice, so it’s actually ideal to use up leftovers here.
- Vegan cheese — choose a brand that melts so you get that stretchy center. If you’d rather make your own, try my stretchy vegan mozzarella.
- Psyllium husks — mixed with water they form the egg-replacement binder. Don’t skip the resting time; they need a minute to gel.
- Flour and Panko breadcrumbs — the flour is the first dry layer, and Panko gives a coarser, crunchier crust than fine breadcrumbs.
- Nutritional yeast — mixed into the Panko for a savory, lightly cheesy note in the coating.
- Marinara sauce and parsley — for dipping and topping, the classic finish.
Tips for crispy arancini that hold their shape
- Wet your hands before shaping. Damp hands stop the sticky rice from clinging to your fingers and let you press the rice tightly around the cheese cube so the ball doesn’t crack open in the oil.
- Fully enclose the cheese. Any gap is an escape route for the melted center. Seal the seams well as you form each ball.
- Keep the three-bowl order. Flour first, then the psyllium-and-water mix, then the Panko. Each layer needs the one before it to grip properly.
- Get the oil to 170C. Too cool and the balls soak up oil and turn greasy; too hot and the crust browns before the inside warms through. Fry until deep golden and crispy, turning them slightly so they color evenly.
- Drain on paper towels. A quick rest on paper towels pulls off the excess oil and keeps the crust crisp rather than soggy.
What to serve with vegan arancini
Arancini are at their best straight from the pan with a bowl of warm marinara for dipping. They make a lovely starter or party bite, and they slot neatly into a larger Italian-style spread. Serve them alongside a vegan mushroom lasagna for a comforting dinner, or set them out next to other vegan rice recipes if rice is the theme of the meal. A bright soup such as a vegan red lentil soup rounds things out nicely when you want a fuller plate.
Storing and reheating
Arancini are best eaten fresh while the shell is at its crispest and the center is still melty. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To bring back the crunch, reheat them in the oven or an air fryer rather than the microwave, which leaves the coating soft. Since the recipe is designed to use up leftover risotto in the first place, it’s a handy one to keep in your back pocket whenever you have cooked rice to use up. If you find yourself with extra rice often, my collection of vegan rice recipes has plenty more ideas.
If you make these vegan arancini, I’d love to know how your cheesy centers turned out. Rate the recipe and leave a comment below with any tweaks you tried, whether it was a different vegan cheese or a new dipping sauce. Give it a try and send me your feedback!
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Vegan Arancini / Fried Rice Balls
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover cooked risotto
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese if vegan choose a brand that melts, cubed
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsps psyllium husks
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- oil for frying
- 1 cup marinara sauce for dipping
- 2 Tbsp parsley chopped, for topping
Instructions
- Heat some oil (about 2 cups) in a large frying pan, over medium heat.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Wet your hands, then take a scoop of rice, and flatten it out in your hand.
- Take a cube of vegan cheese and put in the center of the rice.
- Form the rice around the cheese cube, into a ball.
- Mix the psyllium husks with 6 tablespoons of water. Set it aside in a bowl.
- In another bowl, add the flour.
- In the third bowl, add the Panko breadcrumbs mixed with nutritional yeast.
- Gently roll the rice ball into the flour, then roll into the psyllium and water mix (which is almost the consistency of egg whites), and then into the breadcrumbs mixture.
- Spread them out on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Now the frying part. The preheated oil should be at 170°C.
- Dip each ball into the oil and let it fry until golden and crispy, turn them slightly while they are frying to make sure they are cooking evenly.
- Set them aside on a plate covered with paper towels, to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve these vegan arancini with marinara sauce and chopped parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe replaces the egg with psyllium husks mixed with water. Stir 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks into 6 tablespoons of water and let it sit; it thickens to almost the consistency of egg whites. It works as the middle coating layer, gripping the flour underneath and helping the Panko breadcrumbs stick.
For the true crispy arancini texture, deep-frying is the way to go. The hot oil sets the breadcrumb crust almost instantly and gives the shell its signature crunch and golden color. Baked versions tend to come out paler and chewier, so this recipe is written for frying at 170C.
Choose a vegan cheese that is made to melt, so you get a soft, stretchy center inside the rice ball. Cube it and fully enclose it in the rice before breading. If you prefer to make your own, you can use a homemade stretchy vegan mozzarella.
Usually it is because the cheese was not fully sealed inside the rice or the ball had a crack. Wet your hands, press the rice tightly around the cheese cube, and seal any seams before breading. Frying at the right temperature, around 170C, also helps the crust set quickly so the ball stays intact.
Yes, this recipe is designed for leftover cooked risotto. Cold, day-old rice is firmer and holds its shape much better than fresh, warm rice, which makes it easier to form balls that stay together during frying. It is one of the best ways to use up leftover risotto.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. They are best fresh, but to bring back the crunch, reheat them in the oven or an air fryer rather than the microwave, which softens the coating. Serve again with warm marinara for dipping.
I had some leftover mushroom pilaf from a recipe of yours (btw loved it!) and decided to give this a try. These were great and had some mushrooms in them too from the pilaf. My bf loved them too!
So happy to hear this! Glad you liked the recipe!