Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce are on the regular rotation on our dinner menus. While arancini are usually served as an appetizer, I like to serve them as a main course accompanied by a salad. And, while I’ve always thought of saffron as an exotic spice, my children, who often like rather bland food, really love saffron. Which is why, I think, it’s really great to expose kids to lots of different foods, and let them choose what they want to eat. That way, it’s really interesting to see what spices and tastes they gravitate towards, and the way they form their unique palates.

The Equipment You’ll Need

• A Deep Fry Thermometer- This is essential for frying these arancini. Unless, your a pro like my mother-in-law. She never uses a thermometer, nor does she measure a thing. But, I would not deep fry without one.
• A Dutch oven- This is the best pot for frying, since it really maintains a constant oil temperature, which reduces greasiness. If you don’t have one, use a pot with deep sides.

The Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce

• Saffron- You can find this in the spice aisle, or sometimes it’s behind the manager’s counter, since it’s expensive.
• Vegetable Oil- I like Crisco vegetable oil, but you can also use canola oil.
• Arborio rice- You need arborio, canaroli, or other risotto rice. In a pinch you can use medium grain rice, made by River rice.
• Breadcrumbs- Use plain breadcrumbs; I like 4C brand.
• Mozzarella cheese- You can use regular or fresh.
• Chicken Stock- I always use homemade. If you use canned, you may need to reduce the salt in this recipe.

How I Made this Meal

• First, I made the risotto. I needed to add some water towards the end, this time, because the rice was still a little too al dente. The extra water and few extra minutes of cooking time helped the rice get perfectly chewy.
• Next, I chilled my risotto, and prepared the breading station, and made the sauce.
• Then, it was time for forming the arancini. I find it easiest to wet my hands and form all 16 balls at once. Then I rub each one in the batter, which is kind of messy. Then, I wash my hands, and roll all the balls around in the breading.
• Finally, I fried the arancini, and warmed up the sauce on the stove. Do not heat it up in the microwave, or the butter will separate.
• I served this just tonight as a main course with steamed artichokes. The saffron sauce is also delicious with the artichokes.

As I mentioned earlier, these Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce are a great family favorite at my house. And, my mother-in-law, Joanne, is famous for the enormous quantities of arancini she turns out for major holidays. She has an extra kitchen in her basement reserved for her messy cooking, like deep frying. As she fries, she covers the entire basement kitchen table with arancini, with different fillings. And, those are just one of the appetizers for the beginning of the huge feasts she cooks. As for me, I’m happy to let these arancini be the star of the whole dinner. And, even though I detest my hulking air fryer, it does do a good job of reheating our arancini to their just cooked perfection. So, I hope you’ll try these delicious deep fried rice balls, and see if your family loves them as much as mine does.

Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce

Fried saffron risotto balls, filled with cheese, with a saffron cream dipping sauce.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Servings 5

Equipment

• deep fry thermometer
• Dutch oven
• sheet pan

Ingredients

  

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For the Saffron Arancini:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• .1 grams saffron threads (a big pinch)
• 2½ cups arborio rice
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, in half inch cubes
• 1 cup flour
• 3 cups plain breadcrumbs
• 3 cups vegetable oil

For the Saffron Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. white wine
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• pinch kosher salt
• .1 gram saffron threads (about a pinch)
• 3 inch piece Parmesan rind

Instructions

 

For the Saffron Arancini:

• In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, butter, salt, and saffron to a boil.
• Add the rice and simmer it uncovered for about 20 minutes until all the broth is absorbed. The rice should still be al dente. Add some water if more liquid is needed to cook the rice.
• Take the pot off the heat and add the cheese. Then, pour the rice on a foil lined cookie sheet. Spread it out and chill it while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• In a second Dutch oven, with a deep fry thermometer clipped on it, heat one inch of oil to 350 degrees.
• Prepare a breading station with one bowl filled with breadcrumbs. In the second bowl, whisk together the flour with one cup of water. The consistency of the batter should be like pancake batter.
• Form the arancini by scooping up the rice in a quarter cup measuring cup. Using your finger, make a whole in the middle and place a cheese cube inside. Push the rice out and shape it into a compact ball. Repeat with the other 15 arancini balls. It helps to wet your hands for this step.
• When all the arancini are formed, rub each one all over with the batter, and then cover them completely in crumbs.
• When the oil is at 350 degrees, fry 4 balls at a time, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. You will need to turn them over halfway through. Drain them on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Let the oil return to 350 degrees between batches.

For the Saffron Sauce:

• In a small skillet, melt the butter. Then add the broth, cream, wine, salt, saffron, and Parmesan rind.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and flavorful.

Keyword arancini, risotto, saffron

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