Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (2024)

This Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipeis a beautiful dish, made with a lot of love, and so worth every step, because the flavor is out of this world.

Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (1)

Oh, my gosh, we have the best neighbors. The other night, the doorbell rang. A beautiful plate of Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipewas handed to my son. Our neighbor, Ellie, did it again.

This time she made us dinner, one of her favorite family recipes, and it was so good, I get to share the recipe with you!!

We had such a busy summer, coming and going with our kids, and a few trips, camping in the VW, and this week my husband and I are headed to Kauai. I can’t wait to share more with you–we’re praying the sun will be out. Kauai is the rainy island, but even if we get our share of rain, we’re still going to enjoy the warm beaches and hiking and eating and snorkeling and all the fun things that happen in Hawaii. Plus, we’re going with some of our best friends. You can follow along on instagram if your’e not already following me @SandyCoughlinRE.

One thing that was so inspiring this summer was that our neighbors, Bill and Ellie, had all 7 of their grandkids here for a week. They’re lucky they are so close in ages (3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, & 10), because they make great playmates!

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What to do in southern Oregon with kids.

In addition to playing lots of games, flying airplanes and jumping on the beds, they went to Rogue Air a couple of times (trampolines are great for exercise), the Rogue Rock Climbing Gym (even the 3-yr old climbed to the top of the wall), ScienceWorks (2 times), the Great Cat Park in Cave Junction, swimming up at the Country Club, the water park, they went to see the new “Minion” movie, and they visited the Historic Carousel & Museum in Albany (which I guess was amazing). Due to the heavy pollution from the west coast forest fires, their outdoor time was limited. Seriously, the month of August for us in Oregon was a blur, especially since we had to spend so much time indoors.

Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (2)

Grandma of the year!

Ellie gets “grandma of the year” award. This cracked me up (yes, she has a lot of energy). She flew to San Diego to pick up 3 of the kids, & returned them home 2 weeks later, and then she flew 2 of the kids back to Anchorage, and returned the next day. It was a hectic 3 weeks (total), but she said so worth it. Here’s her cute little clan. :)

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And, they’re already talking about next year!

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So when Ellie came knocking on our door with dinner last week, I was actually thinking she should have been in bed resting. LOL

We love our neighbors.

We love our neighbors, we feel very blessed having had so many awesome people in our lives for 10 years in this neighborhood.

Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (5)

Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe

Now for the yummy rice balls. Or, another name is Arancini, and the meat sauce was served inside the balls, and then on the side. It’s a long recipe, but the outcome is so worth each step!

Serve with a side of tomatoes and a drizzle of DeLallo’s Modenacrem Balsamic Glaze – the very best!

ENJOY!

And if you’re a grandparent, I’d love to hear about your summer highlight with your grandkids?

Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (6)

Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (7)

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Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe

Mild olive oil as needed for frying in deep-fryer heated to 375°F.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Yield: 8 -10

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Ingredients

  • Rice:7 cups chicken broth, or as needed, warmed in saucepan
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup minced yellow onion
  • cups short-grained rice, Arborio
  • ¾ cups dry white wine
  • 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Breading:1 cup flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. cream, or water
  • 3 cups dry bread crumbs
  • Filling:12 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 1 cup Meat Ragù drained of excess liquid
  • Ragù:1 lb. beef top round roast, fat removed, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lb. pork tenderloin, silver skin & fat removed, coarsely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 4 cups San Marzano tomatoes, or roasted tomatoes from garden: tomatoes, garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil & chopped basil leaves roasted @ 400°for 45 minutes.
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • For the rice, heat the chicken broth over low heat; keep warm.

  • Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the onion and sweat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and toast lightly without letting the rice or onion take on any color. Add the wine and cook until almost dry. Add some of the broth a little at a time, making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add more broth as it is absorbed. Cook the rice a little longer than usual so that it is thick and quite sticky, about 25 minutes.

  • Remove rice from heat and add Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir vigorously. Let it cool slightly, then taste, season with salt and pepper, and incorporate the egg yolk, combining it well. Let rice cool.

  • Set up breading ingredients: Put flour in a shallow bowl; beat eggs with cream/water in second bowl; put bread crumbs in third bowl.

  • Form little balls of rice (about 1½ – 2 inches in diameter). Flatten ball into thick pancake. Insert 1 piece of mozzarella and some of the meat. Pinch the rice back into the ball shape to enclose the filling. Dip the rice balls into the flour, then the egg wash, and finally the bread crumbs.

  • Fry the risotto balls until they are golden and crisp on the outside and heated through, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with Ragù sauce.

  • For the Ragù, season meats with salt and place in 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes (long enough for meat to lose raw color). Add the onion, garlic, basil and bay leaves, stirring to cook the onion evenly (about 5 minutes). Add the wine. Stir to release any of drippings that are sticking to the pan. Let the wine cook down until it has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.

  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and bring sauce to a very gentle simmer for 3 to 4 hours, partially cover the pot, stirring occasionally, and adding water if the sauce seems too thick as it cooks. The finished sauce should be a deep, rich red color.

Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer

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Arancini with Meat Ragu Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you stop arancini from falling apart? ›

7 - Refrigerate your arancini for 4 hours before dipping in the batter and breadcrumbs. This sets it so that it becomes firmer and won't fall apart. Some also place their arancini in the freezer for 2 hours before frying although I didn't try this (and you may have to increase your frying time).

What are the main ingredients in arancini? ›

What is a meat ragu? ›

Ragù is a meat-based sauce, typically served with pasta. Traditionally, pieces of meat (often beef, pork, game, or even horse), are cooked on a low heat in a braising liquid (this is usually tomato or wine-based) over a long period of time.

Does arancini have meat? ›

The most common arancini fillings are: al ragù or al sugo, filled with ragù (meat or mince, slow-cooked at low temperature with tomato sauce and spices), mozzarella or caciocavallo cheese, and often peas, and al burro or ô burru, filled with ham and mozzarella or béchamel sauce.

Why won't my arancini balls stick together? ›

If you don't have a lot of time to chill the rice, make sure it's spread out as thin as possible. It's important for the starches to gel in order for the rice balls to stick together. The minimum amount of time that I have chilled the rice is 1 hour, and the arancini held together successfully.

Why do my arancini fall apart when frying? ›

If it is not properly chilled, it will fall apart in the hot oil instead of forming crisp, glistening, orbs filled with molten cheese. Serve these arancini with warmed tomato sauce or even pesto, and crown them with a flurry of gremolata or plain lemon zest for brightness.

What do Italians eat with arancini? ›

Arancini are meant to be enjoyed as a finger food, on their own or with Homemade Marinara on the side to bring out the herby flavors. They also go great with a variety of appetizers, from roasted vegetables to bite-sized meatballs.

Does arancini always have cheese? ›

Arancini are fried risotto balls that are coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden brown. They are traditionally stuffed with Bolognese sauce and mozzarella, although you can stuff them with whatever you'd like.

How do you keep arancini crispy? ›

The air fryer offers a quick way to reheat arancini while keeping them crispy. First, set the air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Place the arancini in the basket so they're not touching, and heat for 4-8 minutes, depending on their size. Spritzing the arancini with oil is optional but can help with crispness.

What is the best cut of meat for ragù? ›

If you want to cut the meat yourself, get cuts like chuck or flank steak, as per the Bolognese tradition, or even a skirt steak (the diaphragm, practically impossible to find at the butchers). The same goes for pork: choose pieces like the thigh which are fatty and tasty.

How to make ragù meat sauce better? ›

Don't skip the milk. Cooking the meat in milk first, before adding the wine and tomatoes tenderizes the texture. Some Ragù Bolognese sauce recipes call for adding the milk at the end of cooking (bit by bit). But I add it earlier on- I like the texture and flavor better this way.

What's the difference between ragù and meat sauce? ›

Even though both are considered meat sauces and are thusly chunky, ragù is more like a thick tomato sauce with recognizable bits of ground beef within it. Bolognese, though, is creamier and thicker because it is made with milk. It is not considered to be a tomato sauce.

What is the original arancini? ›

It seems the first documented form of arancini date back to the 19th century. Surprisingly, the first arancini were sweet and were made using ingredients such as ricotta cheese, sugar, spices, and milk. With the arrival of ingredients from the “New World” everything changed.

What goes with arancini as a main meal? ›

These deep fried risotto balls pair well with pretty much any Italian-based dish and depending on what's inside them you can serve with vegetables, salads, relish or pasta. Stick with classic Italian flavours and you can't go wrong.

Is arancini a starter or main? ›

Deliver that wow factor with our easy but delicious Arancini – a traditional Italian risotto rice balls recipe, perfect as a starter or a light lunch.

How to make rice ball stick together? ›

Tips for Perfect Japanese Rice Balls

Freshly cooked rice is warm, moist, and sticky, which makes it easier to shape into the desired form and ensures that the onigiri holds together well. Wet Your Hands: Keep a bowl of water next to you when shaping the rice balls and wet your hands when the mixture gets too sticky.

Why won't my rice balls stick together? ›

Dont buy anything like minuet rice or jasmine rice it just is too long and wont create enough starch to make it sticky. Another thing make sure you're handling the rice when it's warm. Once the rice is cold it's much harder to form. So you'll want to start making the onigiri almost right after you're done cooking it.

Why do my rice balls fall apart when frying? ›

Short or medium-grain rice is required as its sticky nature helps shape the onigiri without falling apart. Long-grain rice such as Jasmine rice isn't sticky enough. Using warm rice helps the onigiri hold its shape as cold rice isn't very sticky. Wet your hands with water and apply a pinch of salt.

How do you keep crispy rice from falling apart? ›

Freezing the rice for just one hour. will hold the grains in place. so that they don't fall apart in the pan. Use a wet knife to stop the rice from sticking. Then shallow fry each square.

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