Where does Arancini come from?

Arancini — country of origin: Italy.

What is Arancini made of?

Risotto rice, saffron, ragù (meat sauce), pea, mozzarella, breadcrumbs, egg.

Which allergens does Arancini contain?

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains eggs and egg products. Contains milk and milk products (including lactose). Contains celery and celery products.

How do you pronounce Arancini?

Arancini (Italian) is pronounced /aranˈt͡ʃini/.

Arancini

Pronunciation (IPA) /aranˈt͡ʃini/

Sicilian fried rice balls with a filling of ragù and peas or ham and mozzarella — crisp outside, saffron rice within, eaten with the hands.

Also known as: Arancino · Arancina · Sicilian rice balls

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Cereals (gluten)

Wheat

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products

Egg

Contains eggs and egg products

Milk (including Lactose)

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose)

Celery

Contains celery and celery products

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Arancini are Sicilian fried rice balls with a filling hidden in the middle. They are street food, eaten hot from the hand, and the name comes from arancia — orange — for their colour and their shape.

What it actually is

Cooked saffron rice is shaped by hand around a filling, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried until the shell is crisp and the centre is molten.

The classic fillings are ragù with peas (al ragù) and ham with mozzarella (al prosciutto). A plain buttered version, al burro, is common too.

Sicily is genuinely split on the name and the shape. In Catania and the east they are often cone-shaped and called arancino; in Palermo and the west they are round and called arancina. The argument is about grammatical gender, it has run for decades, and nobody is trying very hard to settle it.

How it's served

Hot, in paper, from a friggitoria or a bar counter — no plate, no cutlery.
By the piece, often as a snack rather than a course.
On 13 December, the feast of Santa Lucia, when they are traditional across Sicily.

List each filling separately — ragù, ham and mozzarella, vegetarian — and price by the piece.
Say whether yours are round or cone-shaped; Sicilian guests will notice and enjoy that you took a side.
They hold heat and travel unusually well for fried food, so they suit takeaway and delivery — worth putting on that part of the menu.
Note the allergens: gluten, dairy and egg.

Typical ingredients

Put it on your menu with Menuella

Frequently asked questions

What is Arancini?: Sicilian fried rice balls with a filling of ragù and peas or ham and mozzarella — crisp outside, saffron rice within, eaten with the hands.
Where does Arancini come from?: Arancini — country of origin: Italy.
What is Arancini made of?: Risotto rice, saffron, ragù (meat sauce), pea, mozzarella, breadcrumbs, egg.
Which allergens does Arancini contain?: Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains eggs and egg products. Contains milk and milk products (including lactose). Contains celery and celery products.
What is Arancini also known as?: Arancino, Arancina, Sicilian rice balls.
How do you pronounce Arancini?: Arancini (Italian) is pronounced /aranˈt͡ʃini/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.