Air Fryer Recipe
Truffle and Parmesan Arancini
These truffle and Parmesan arancini are a tasty little twist on classic Italian rice balls, and they crisp up beautifully in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked arborio rice, cooled
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons of truffle oil
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil for the air fryer
Method
- In a large bowl, mix the cooled arborio rice with the Parmesan cheese, truffle oil and parsley. Stir everything together well, then season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon out a tablespoon of the rice mixture, flatten it slightly, place a cube of mozzarella in the centre, then shape it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Set up a breading station with the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Roll each rice ball in the flour, dip it in the egg, then coat it in breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C (375°F). Lightly coat the arancini with cooking spray or olive oil.
- Arrange the arancini balls in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. Cook for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Leave the cooked arancini to cool slightly before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Cooled arborio rice is sticky with set starch, so it binds without becoming gluey. The flour-egg-breadcrumb coating forms a dry, rough shell that air-fryer convection can dehydrate quickly; a light oil film conducts heat into the crumbs, giving colour and crispness while the mozzarella centre melts.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket with 3–4 cm arancini in one layer. In a single drawer, leave gaps and turn once; in dual-zone models, split evenly between drawers, use sync finish, and add 1–2 minutes to the fuller drawer rather than crowding one side.
Common pitfalls
- Balls flattening or splitting before breading? The rice is too warm or loose; chill the mixture for 20–30 minutes, compress each ball firmly, and mix in a spoonful of breadcrumbs if it still feels wet.
- Mozzarella leaking into the basket by minute 8? The cube is too close to the surface or the seam is thin; use smaller cubes, keep at least 1 cm of rice around the cheese, and patch with a second egg-and-crumb coat.
- Crumbs look pale and dusty at minute 10? The coating is too dry for browning; mist all visible surfaces with oil, turn, and cook for another 2–4 minutes rather than raising the temperature sharply.
- Outside dark but centre not molten? The balls are too large or went in very cold; reduce to 180°C and extend by 3–5 minutes, or make smaller balls next batch for heat to reach the mozzarella before the crumbs overbrown.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for a lighter, jagged crust; it needs a more even oil spray because the high points brown first.
- Swap Parmesan for pecorino for a sharper, saltier arancini; reduce added salt and start checking a minute earlier as the coating can colour faster.
- Add finely chopped sautéed mushrooms to the rice for a deeper truffle flavour; cook them until dry first or the balls will soften and need extra crumbs to bind.
- Use smoked mozzarella or scamorza in the centre; it melts slightly less freely than standard mozzarella, so leakage is reduced but the centre may need the full 15 minutes.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked arancini chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 5–7 minutes until hot through and crisp again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
