My friend Ronni shared her grandma’s Italian Arancini (Fried Cheesy Rice Balls) with me recently and now they’re my quick go-to fix! Thanks to Minute® Rice for sponsoring this Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe post.
This easy Italian appetizer Recipe post may contain affiliate links which means we receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Easy Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe
Aside from travel, food is my thing. I think it’s mostly because each new bite takes you on a bit of an adventure.
Can’t make it to Chicago for St. Patty’s Day and watch the river go green? The next best thing is to grab yourself a real Chi-Town hot dog and take a bite. A weekend trip to Vietnam not exactly in your budget?
No worries, a steaming bowl of Pho can bring the taste of Vietnam right to you!
When fond memories of walking down quiet Roman alleyways find me browsing through my travel photos, pining for vacation days past, I look to Italian food to make me feel like I am there again – without the steep airfare.
Italian Arancini Fried Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe
Typically, Cheesy Rice Balls are made from risotto.
But with non-stop travel this month and a schedule so full that I am running out of room on my daily agenda, I’m pulling out my Minute® Rice and calling it a legit substitute.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE CARD FOR THIS Homemade Arancini Easy Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe?
If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important information for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the easy recipe, just scroll right on down to the bottom, where I have a printable recipe card just for you!
I know that a lot of people are old fashioned and like to have a printed out recipe card.
It’s that time of year and I bet that most of you are dealing with the same holiday-madness that we are over here!
That is why pantry staples like Minute® Rice are so helpful! You can come up with so many quick and easy dinnertime recipes that your entire family will love.
You can have great-tasting, fluffy white rice in just 5 minutes – could it be any easier? This Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe, made with Minute® Rice, makes a perfect party appetizer as well as a great meal all on their own.
The holiday parties are in full swing, that famous “Super” Football Sunday is fast approaching and sometimes, a girl just wants a taste of Italy.
Whatever the case is in your own home, I have ya covered with this super easy Cheesy Rice Balls recipe – and I guarantee you that the kids will love it!
Are you looking for other Quick & Easy recipes to serve like my Easy Italian Appetizer Recipe?
Check out these crock pot, slow cooker and instant pot recipes that I have shared over the years. They are all tried and true recipes that I have made over the years, or my trusty food writers have made.
I think you will love them all! Of course, this is just a small selection of breakfast and brunch recipes, but we have LOTS and lots of recipes on the blog that are perfect for breakfast and brunch– just type “slow cooker” or “instant pot” into the search bar on the right hand side of the screen and they will pop up for you!
- Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Apples and Potatoes Recipe
- Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Chicken Recipe
- Slow Cooker Garlic Lime Chicken with Rice Recipe
- Slow Cooker Beef with Broccoli recipe
- Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken with Beans Recipe
- Delicious Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Noodles Recipe
- Instant Pot Apple Chicken Thighs Recipe
To print this Homemade Arancini Easy Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe, simply click the recipe card below!
I know that sometimes it is easier to go off a recipe when it is printed right in front of you. Who wants to swipe their screen on their phone or tablet when their hands are greasy? So I love offering this option as well!
I can’t wait for you to try this Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe!
How to Make this Homemade Arancini Easy Cheesy Rice Balls Recipe
Cheesy Rice Balls
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Cooked Minute® Rice White Rice
- 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3 Eggs
- Cubed Mozzarella I used 1/2 inch pieces of cut up string cheese
- 1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Cup Panko
- Oil for frying
- Marinara Sauce for dipping
Instructions
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Pour enough oil to fill heavy-bottomed pot about 5 inches. Heat over medium flame until oil is *375.
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In large mixing bowl, combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg. Get in there and use your hands like grandma did to completely combine mixture. Grab enough mixture to form a cheesy rice ball about the size of a ping pong ball. Tuck a cube of mozzarella in the middle. The trick here is to squeeze it good and firm. If you don't you will end up with fried goop. No one wants that. Repeat until all mix is used. This should make about 8-10 cheesy rice balls.
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In shallow dish, mix Panko and breadcrumbs together. Set aside. In small bowl, whisk those last 2 eggs. Dip each rice ball in the eggs and then roll them in the Panko.
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Your oil should have reached *375 by now. Carefully slide 3 of the panko coated rice balls to the pot. Fry them until golden brown (about 2 minutes) Use a slotted spoon to remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. Toss on a pinch of salt. Continue to slide, fry, drain until all cheesy rice balls are fried.
Serve with warm marinara sauce. ENJOY!
See! How easy was that to grab a quick bite of Italy? Minute® Rice 100% Whole Grain Brown Rice is a yummy and nutritious option too.
It has the same nutritional value as regular long cooking brown rice, but is ready in just 10 minutes. Both Minute® Brown and White Rice are gluten free, too.
There’s also the new Minute® Multi-Grain Medley, which is a blend of four gluten-free foods and made with 100% whole grains, including long grain brown rice, Thai red rice, wild rice and quinoa. It also takes only 10 minutes to cook!
There are so many different things you can do with Minute® Rice! Between Minute® White Rice, Minute® Whole Grain Brown Rice, Minute ® Multi-Grain Medley and Minute® Ready to Serve Rice products.
You can make everything from rice pudding to Aros Con Pollo (that’s Chicken and Rice for you non-Miami folk), to casseroles and easy side dishes, the possibilities are endless – and super quick – with Minute® Rice!
For over 400 great recipe ideas for any day of the week, check out all the Minute® Rice family of products!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Rice.
My sis always says easy peasy and the easy cheesy rice balls recipe above falls right in line with simple to do with fantastic results. I can’t wait to try this Minute Rice delight!
These Ceesy Rice balls look so delicious and my family would love for me to make these. Thanks for the recipe! I like how cute they are.
That is an awesome snack. I need to make these!
OH MY YUM!! This recipe is making my mouth water! delicious! I can not wait to try this.
These sound wonderful and something I know that would go over well in our house. I will have to make these for one of our parties we are having in the next few weeks.
I’m all for quickie recipes! Love that this has rice to make it a bit more substantial than cheese alone!
These sound really good. My son loves rice and cheese. I will have to make these for him.
These look delicious. I’m going to try to make them!
I’ve never heard of cheesy rice balls before but I bet my kids would absolutely love these.
Th Cheese Balls look delicious. I pinned your recipe to my Snack Board. I will be making this!
Wow these look so delish, and I love the dipping sauce, great appetizer, might have to make these for the holidays.
This looks delicious! I’d love to have this out as an appetizer for my guests during the holidays!
I LOVE these!! This is going on my to-do list to make immediately.
These look so good. I know my family would love these.
Arancini is one of my Italian family’s favorite dishes! Seeing this makes me want to make some for dinner tonight.
I’m going to add this to my Christmas party menu. They look so good!
What a tasty looking appetizer! They look really easy to make and would be great at any Holiday party!
Oh yummy! I wanted to make cheesy rice balls but I thought they were too complicate so I never bothered. These are perfect.
These look and sound absolutely delicious! I will have to try this recipe ASAP!
Ohh these look so yummy! My kids love anything they can dip, these would be a hit at our house.
Luve Minute Rice. That looks do delish.
Well this is totally different! This looks delish too so thanks for sharing!!
I can’t … or don’t eat pasta, so I am always looking for a really good rice recipe. I am going to try this and see how it works for me.
I know these would be a huge hit here. My husband is a cheese and a rice lover, so this is a double win recipe!
I have never heard of cheese balls and this post makes my mouth water! I would love to try them for my family.
Those look delicious. I’ve never had them before.
These look yummy! We fell in love with suppli when we visited Rome this summer (the Roman version of arancini cooked with tomato sauce/broth). I keep meaning to try them at home so this inspired me.
Wow! Those look delicious! Will have to try making as an appetizer soon, betting my kids will go crazy over ’em!
These look amazing- the perfect comfort food! I’m adding them to my menu this week!
I grew up eating Minute Rice! I love simple recipes. Thanks for sharing.
These look amazing!!! My whole family is going to love them, thanks for the recipe!
Wow! This looks so good! I pinned it!
Minute Rice is my favorite when I’m in a time crunch, and those Cheesy Rice Balls looks amazing!! Can’t wait to try them!
This looks really good! I love anything rice. Yummy!
I’ve never had a cheesy rice ball (or even heard of them), but now that I have, I want to eat all of them! These look amazing!
My husband loves cheese balls but for some reason I have never made them for him. Thanks for this idea!
I always order risotto balls at the Macaroni Grill. These would make a great substitute from home. Yum!
I would totally be dipping those! They look super tasty and I use Minute Rice all the time!
This would make perfect appetizers for an adult party!
I love Rice Balls and this recipe looks so good, especially with the sauce poured over top, yum! Stopping by from the block party!
Cathy
These look and sound amazing, I love rice balls! Visiting from See Ya in the Gumbo 🙂
Those look really good. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of rice balls before, I think I may have to try making them one night.
Oh man! Delicious!
http://makingmemorieswithyourkids.com
Forget the kids! I want them all for myself, lol!
These look so de-lish! Love me a good appetizer, especially when it involves cheese. Thanks so much for sharing at Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in this week’s issue.
I’ve never made rice balls before, but these look great! Perfect for a late night snack:)
I love rice and I love cheese so these look wonderfully delicious to me!
I am thinking this is something I can get my kids to eat. Not to mention they look like something I will love also. Thanks for the recipe!
Your Rice Balls look awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your talent with Full Plate Thursday. Wishing you a Valentine Day filled with Love!
Miz Helen
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/39828777931310942/
https://twitter.com/mbm218/status/568418620990201857
oops
I am 3rd generation Roman Italian who grew up eating rice balls. You have no idea how this “simple” recipe will change my rice ball cooking life. The family recipe calls for cooking the (not instant) rice with butter, eggs, meat, cheese, sauce the day before. refrigerating the mix and frying the day after. I look forward to tweaking this recipe a bit and hopefully it will taste like Grandma’s.
Oh my goodness!! I am sure that your family’s recipe is amazing, but this is definitely very easy!