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Ragu-Filled Arancini Recipe

Comfort food

Entertaining

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A close-up of a halved arancini, showing its crispy rice exterior and savoury plant-based filling, placed on a white paper serviette.
Close-up of a sliced arancini ball showing a golden fried rice exterior and a filling of plant-based mince and vegetables.

Looking for a restaurant-quality recipe? These ragu-filled arancini are crispy, rich, and packed with Sicilian flavour and flair. One bite delivers the perfect combo of crunchy, gooey, and hearty, making them a guaranteed favourite for entertaining or comfort-food cravings alike.

You will need

Makes 8

For the risotto:

  • 500g Arborio or Carnaroli rice
  • 1L vegetable stock
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or vegan parmesan)
  • Large dash of turmeric

For the ragu filling:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 small carrot, finely diced
  • 150g plant-based mince
  • 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Handful of parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup peas
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the batter:

  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 150ml water
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 1-2L of sunflower oil or vegetable oil for frying

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Directions

20 mins to prep

60 mins to cook

10 mins to chill

  1. Step 1

    In a large pot, cover the rice with the stock and heat. Once it comes to a boil, simmer on low for 15 minutes or until the rice is a texture between al dente and soft. Stir frequently and add an extra cup of hot water if it becomes too dry. Remove from the heat and stir through the vegan butter, nutritional yeast (or vegan parmesan) and turmeric. Pour the rice onto a tray and allow it to cool.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until soft. Add the carrot and cook for a further minute. Stir through the mince and sauté for a few minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir through the parsley, peas and salt. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Whisk together the flour and approximately 150ml of water into a large bowl. You want a thick but pourable batter. In another bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Flatten a generous handful of rice in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation in the centre. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the ragu filling into the hollow. Cover the filling with rice.

  4. Step 4

    Enclose both hands around the rice, encouraging it into the shape of a ball. Press together until you have a firm ball. Alternatively shape into a cone (another popular arancini shape in Sicily).

  5. Step 5

    Dip the rice ball gently into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off before coating in the breadcrumbs.

  6. Step 6

    Place the arancini on a tray or plate. You may like to have a bowl of water on the side, if your hands get too sticky. You can make your arancini any size, however the frying time for this recipe is for 8 large balls.

  7. Step 7

    To cook the arancini, heat the oil in a pot to 180°C. Carefully drop in the arancini in batches without crowding the pot. Allow to fry until golden for 2-4 minutes. Remove and drain well on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

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