Description
Delicious and comforting baked pumpkin arancini, featuring creamy pumpkin risotto balls with a gooey mozzarella center, lightly seasoned with nutmeg and parmesan, then coated in breadcrumbs and baked to golden perfection. These risotto balls are perfect as an appetizer or a hearty snack.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Risotto:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- ¼ cup white wine or vermouth
- 3 cups light stock (chicken or vegetable)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh, using roasted pureed pumpkin)
- ½ cup parmesan, finely grated
For Assembly and Coating:
- 8 oz mozzarella, cubed (about â…“ inch pieces)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten (may need 3)
- ½ cup flour (approx.)
- 1 cup fine breadcrumbs (approx.)
Instructions
- Prepare the Risotto: In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and sauté the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add the arborio rice and toast it lightly for about 1-2 minutes. Pour in the white wine or vermouth and stir until absorbed. Gradually add the light stock, one ladle at a time, stirring continuously and allowing the liquid to absorb before adding more. Continue until the rice is cooked al dente, approximately 18-20 minutes.
- Incorporate Pumpkin and Cheese: Once the risotto is cooked, stir in the pumpkin puree, grated parmesan, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely. Chilling the risotto for about 30 minutes helps to firm it up for shaping the balls.
- Form the Arancini: With your hands dampened, take a small amount of risotto and flatten it into a disc. Place a cube of mozzarella in the center and carefully mold the risotto around it to form a ball. Repeat until all the risotto and mozzarella are used, making approximately 48 balls total.
- Coat the Arancini: Prepare three bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with fine breadcrumbs. Roll each risotto ball first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs.
- Bake the Arancini: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the coated arancini on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside, turning halfway through to ensure even baking.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving warm as an appetizer or snack, enjoying the creamy pumpkin and melted mozzarella surprise inside each crispy ball.
Notes
- Chilling the risotto before shaping helps the balls hold together better.
- If the mixture is too wet, add a little extra parmesan or let it cool more to firm up.
- For extra crispiness, you can spray the arancini with a little olive oil before baking.
- To make ahead, you can freeze the shaped and coated arancini and bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- Use vegetable stock to keep the recipe vegetarian.
