Green bean arancini
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 60 min
- Serving: 4
- Note + the rice cooling time (at least 3 h)
PRESENTATION
Arancini from Sicily are famous for their golden, crispy outside and that tender surprise waiting in the middle. Seriously good. This arancini recipe puts a fresh spin on things by using green beans sautéed with sage and butter, giving the filling a mellow, moist texture and a little herby kick. And look, Fontina cheese melts down inside, so when you bite into these Italian rice balls, you get that gooey center that feels extra special. Folks in Sicily have been making arancini in all kinds of ways for ages, but this green bean arancini stands out as a really, really good vegetarian version.
With saffron rice as the base, every bite comes with a hint of earthiness that goes great with the soft beans and buttery cheese. Pretty simple. These smaller arancini are super popular at laid-back gatherings or as snacks because they’re easy to pick up and even easier to love when they are hot and crispy right out of the fryer.
Throughout Sicily, you’ll see all sorts of Sicilian arancini variations, but the green bean twist really lets you taste the freshness of the season. And you know what, the double breaded shell isn’t just for show; it’s what gives you that golden crunch and keeps the inside warm and melty. Watching the oil temperature means your green bean risotto balls end up perfectly fried, not greasy or heavy.
People love these because you can play around with the filling—sometimes adding other veggies or using different cheeses if you want to switch things up. Eating homemade vegetarian arancini with friends or family brings that sense of sharing that Sicilian food is all about. Pretty much. No matter how you serve them, these crispy rice balls always go fast, and it’s fun to see everyone reach for seconds. Whether you're hosting a casual dinner or enjoying a quiet night at home, these arancini with green beans are a wonderful way to explore the simple yet melty and satisfying flavors of Sicilian cuisine.
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INGREDIENTS
- For the rice (for about 16 arancini)
- Carnaroli rice 2 ½ cups (500 g)
- Water 5 cups (1.2 l)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 4.6 oz (130 g)
- Butter 2.8 tbsp (40 g) - cold
- Saffron 1 bag
- Coarse salt to taste
- For the filling
- Green beans 2 cups (250 g) - to be cleaned
- Fontina cheese 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Garlic 1 clove
- Sage to taste
- Butter 2 tsp (10 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- For breading and frying
- Breadcrumbs 2 ½ cups (300 g)
- Egg whites 10 tbsp (150 g) - (about 4-5)
- Sunflower seed oil 8 ½ cups (2 l) - Rounded to nearest half cup.
How to prepare Green bean arancini
To prepare the green bean arancini, start by cooking the rice: bring a pot to a boil with about 5 cups of water (1.2 L), salt and the saffron 1, then add the rice 2 and cook for about 15–20 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed. When the water has been absorbed, stir in the butter and the grated Grana Padano 3.
Mix everything well 4, then transfer the rice to a baking dish and spread it out evenly 5. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for a couple of hours at room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour 6.
Meanwhile, take care of the green beans: trim them 7 and cut them into pieces about 0.2 in (5 mm) 8. In a pan, gently melt the butter with a clove of garlic and a few sage leaves taken from the total amount 9. Chop the remaining sage.
Add the green beans 10 and sauté them in the butter for 5 minutes, then season with salt 11 and moisten with a very small amount of water 12. Cook over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes.
Once the green beans are cooked, remove the garlic 13 and the whole sage leaves and flavor with the chopped sage 14. Mix 15 and set aside.
Finely chop the fontina 16. After the rice has cooled, take about 3.5–4.2 oz of rice at a time (100–120 g) 17 and flatten it in the palm of your hand; to make this easier it is advisable to have slightly damp hands. Place a tablespoon of green beans in the center 18.
Also fill with the chopped fontina 19 and close the rice around the filling 20. Shape the arancino into a ball and place it on a tray lined with parchment paper 21. Proceed this way to form all the arancini; with these quantities you will obtain about 16.
Move on to the breading: coat each arancino first with the breadcrumbs 22, then with the egg white 23 and finally again with the breadcrumbs 24.
Once all the arancini are breaded 25, you are ready to fry: heat the oil in a small pot until it reaches 320°F (160°C), then immerse 2–3 arancini at a time with the help of a slotted spoon 26. Fry for 5–6 minutes, until fully golden 27.
Drain them on paper towels as you go 28. Salt to taste 29 and serve your green bean arancini while still hot 30!