Woof. We just got notice this week that Massachusetts is extending their stay-at-home orders until May 18th and my work-from-home policy was extended until June 30th. Two more months. At least. While I can’t wait to get back to the office and see my coworkers, friends, and family, I have so much to be grateful for during this hectic time. One of the silver linings of this quarantine is the ability to focus on my recipes and cook more elaborate meals than I would normally have time for.
I’ve been craving a decadent Italian meal from Boston’s North End, but with everything being closed I had to get creative. Enter this cauliflower rice arancini. I was able to eat a cheesy, comforting Italian dish without having to leave home.
A “better for you” arancini
This version of arancini is healthier for you than your typical restaurant version. It is made with cauliflower rice instead of arborio rice, making them lower-carb. They are also baked or “oven-fried” instead of deep fried in oil, making them less caloric or fattening.
But let me tell you, when you bite into these cheesy arancini, you won’t miss the real thing. The cauliflower is masked by the cheese and Italian herbs, you won’t even taste the veggie. And even though it is baked, the outside of the risotto balls crisp up and turn golden brown bringing out the flavor of the breadcrumbs. Like I said, you won’t miss the real thing when you’re eating these.
How do you make cauliflower rice arancini?
The first step is to preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a baking sheet. Next, you’ll need to make the cauliflower “risotto”. Heat a pan with the olive oil, garlic, and cauliflower rice. I’ll admit that using already riced cauliflower is a lot easier but you can make your own rice by placing cauliflower florets into a food processor and pulsing until they become “rice” sized pieces. Cook until the cauliflower rice is tender. Now, here’s the important part:
When you’re done cooking the cauliflower rice, use cheese cloth, a fine mesh strainer, or a kitchen towel to squeeze out all the excess water.
This step will help your arancini greatly because cauliflower lets out a lot of water when it is cooked. Once you have wrung out on the water, transfer the cauliflower rice into a large mixing bowl and add in the cheeses, greek yogurt, lightly beaten egg, salt and pepper. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes. Once it’s cool, take out of the fridge and start to form little balls, placing a slice of mozzarella in the middle of each ball.
I used 1/4 measuring cup amount for each arancini ball but you can also make them bigger than that if you desire.
Next, dip the balls in a beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. I used Italian breadcrumbs but you can use whatever you want (i.e. whole wheat, gluten-free, grain-free, etc.) Then place the balls on the greased baking sheet, placed a couple inches apart.
To get a crispier outside, spray each arancini with cooking spray (I used avocado oil) before baking.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are nice and crisp and golden brown. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce and enjoy!
Cauliflower Rice Arancini
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 6 cups Cauliflower Rice (I used two 12 oz bags frozen cauliflower rice)
- 1 tsp Dried or Fresh Basil minced
- 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated or shredded
- 2 Large Eggs
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 cups Breadcrumbs can substitute gluten-free, whole wheat, or other breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cauliflower rice and cook until the cauliflower rice is nice and tender.
- When the cauliflower rice is done cooking, remove from heat and scoop the cauliflower rice into a cheese cloth, fine mesh strainer, or kitchen towel. Press out as much of the liquid as you can by squeezing the cloth/towel or pushing down through the fine mesh strainer.
- Once you've removed all the excess liquid from the cauliflower, place in a large mixing bowl with the basil, greek yogurt, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Lightly beat one of your eggs and mix into the cauliflower mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- After the cauliflower rice mixture has cooled, remove from the fridge and start forming your arancini balls. I did this by using a 1/4 measuring cup to ensure all my balls were the same size- but you can use whatever size or method that you desire. Using wet hands, form mixture into balls.
- Beat your other egg and place into a bowl. Place the breadcrumbs into a separate bowl. Dip each cauliflower rice ball first into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs, making sure to shake off the excess.
- Place each breaded arancini ball onto your greased baking sheet. Using cooking spray (I used avocado oil), lightly spray the tops of each arancini ball. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the arancini are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven once the arancini are done baking. Let cool and serve with your favorite marinara or tomato sauce and enjoy!
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