• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Vegan Larder
  • Recipes
  • Cook Books
  • About
  • Work
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cook Books
  • About
  • Work
  • Connect with me...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cook Books
    • About
    • Work
  • Connect with me...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Entertaining

    Vegan Arancini Balls with Mushrooms (Risotto Balls)

    Published: Mar 11, 2022 · Modified: Feb 3, 2023 by Louise-Claire Cayzer · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    Crunchy, creamy Mushroom Arancini (Risotto Balls)are one of my favourite ways to use up leftover risotto! I make these Vegan Arancini Balls pretty much every time I make risotto, because I always make too much (Ahem. Maybe accidentally on purpose!) You can make these in the air fryer, in the oven or even pan fry them.

    Arancini are essentially balls of risotto, that maybe have a little surprise filling inside, which are then coated in breadcrumbs and air fry, pan-fried or oven-baked. They're savory and crunchy, creamy, and perfect for snacking or serving at a party. Be sure to make double if you're serving arancini balls at a party, they always disappear so quickly!

    A mushroom arancini on a plate. It has been broken open to see the mushroom and vegan mozzarella filling. this recipe

    I don't know about you, but every time I make risotto I always vastly overestimate how much I'll need and we end up with leftovers. For some reason leftover risotto isn't very appetizing, all stuck together. But turned into vegan arancini balls, Oh boy, leftover risotto becomes a HUGE treat. Crunchy on the outside, with a little surprise (if you want) in the middle. Delicious.

    Any kind of risotto can become arancini, however, you can't just use any old leftover rice. The rice needs to be all sticky in order to form the rice balls. Also having the rice flavoured in a savoury creamy delicious way helps with the overall effect. For this recipe, I used my Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto as the base, but I have also made arancini with this Vegan Risotto with Butternut Squash. In fact, at Halloween, I like to make lil' Jack o' Lantern Arancini with the squash risotto recipe.

    Jump to:
    • 🍄Key Ingredients
    • 👩‍🍳How to make
    • 🥫Storage
    • 🧀Substitutions and Variations
    • ❓ Tips and FAQ
    • 🥗Serving Ideas and Other Great Recipes.
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍄Key Ingredients

    Arancini are essentially a way of using up leftover risotto. They can be made with any kind of risotto you have left over, and you can choose to stuff them with something savoury as a surprise in the middle or not. I like to add extra chopped-up mushrooms if I've made a mushroom risotto. Some cheesy vegan mozzarella or other cheese is also nice (I love Mozzarisella brand, but choose your favourite vegan cheese.)

    1. Risotto made with arborio rice - either leftover or freshly made.
    2. Breadcrumbs - I like to use panko breadcrumbs for their crunch!
    3. Olive oil- a little oil to rub the breadcrumbs in. Plus more for frying if you're planning to fry.
    4. Fillings: Choose from vegan mozzarella, peas, chopped up mushrooms, pesto or something else savoury and delicious.
    An open risotto ball on a plate with a fork picking some up.

    👩‍🍳How to make

    I've included the full instructions for how to make risotto in the recipe card, in case you don't have any leftovers to hand! If you want some nice visual how-to instructions, head over to my Mushroom and pea risotto recipe.

    To make the arancini balls is more of an assembly job once the risotto itself is cooked! You can then choose to cook them in the air fryer, pan fry them or oven bake!

    Mix breadcrumbs with olive oil for the best crunchy coating.
    Prepare the arancini fillings. Finely chop the mushrooms and cube vegan mozzarella.

    1.In a large bowl, combine your breadcrumbs with some olive oil. This ensures that you get a nice crispy arancini coating, especially if you are choosing to air fry them. You can also add flavour to the breadcrumbs here such as herbs or nutritional yeast.

    2. Get your filling ready. Chop up some mushrooms finely and cube the mozzarella.

    Stuff palm sized balls of risotto with the filling. Then roll in the breadcrumbs.
    3) Stuff the risotto balls with your mushroom and mozzarella.
    The mushroom arancini Arancini risotto balls are ready to air fry , or bake
    Arancini risotto balls are ready to air fry , or bake.

    3.Make sure your risotto is cool enough to handle and make a palm sized ball (large tablespoon) of risotto. Push a hole into the middle of the risotto ball, then fill with a few your mushrooms and cheese (or whatever)

    4. Close up the hole and roll the vegan arancini ball in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until you have finished the risotto.

    TO COOK: To cook the arancini in the airfryer, choose 180C/356F and cook for 10 minutes. To pan fry, heat up some oil in a pan and shallow fry them gently. Or bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes

    🥫Storage

    If you have extra arancini balls, freeze them, either cooked or uncooked for up to three months. I place them on a tray in the freezer, then once hard, pop into a bag.
    You can keep these for up to 3 days in the fridge, be sure to reheat them until they are piping hot, either in the oven or the air fryer.

    🧀Substitutions and Variations

    You don't have to stick to mushrooms to fill these arancini, here are some other ideas:

    • Vegan Cheese : Use your favourite vegan cheese in the middle instead of the vegan mozzarella.
    • Vegan Bolognese (like my Vegan Lentil Bolognese)
    • Roasted Squash or other leftover veggies: Use up any other leftover veggies as a surprise in the middle. Add some vegan cheese for a tastier treat.

    Gluten Free: If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, just swap the breadcrumbs for some gluten-free bread crumbs. The rest of the recipe is naturally already gluten-free.

    ❓ Tips and FAQ

    Do I have to use leftover risotto for the arancini?

    You can make the risotto fresh if you like. Just make sure it is cool enough to handle to make balls and stuff!

    What other things can I fill the arancini with?

    I filled these arancini with chopped up mushrooms. You can choose other savoury items such as pesto, cheese, ragu or bolognese sauce. Or just make smaller non-stuffed ones.

    Is reheating the rice safe?

    As long as you cook the arancini properly and ensure they are piping hot there is no danger to making these with leftover rice. Make sure to cool th rice quickly and only use one-day old risotto at most.

    How long will the arancini store for?

    You can store the arancini for 2 or so days in the fridge. They freeze very well too, just cook from frozen, adding a little extra time to cook through properly.

    How many arancini will I be able to make with a four person serve of risotto?

    You can make approximately 8-12 portions of arancini from a four person serve of risotto. It depends on how large you make the risotto balls!

    How long do arancini need in the air fryer to cook?

    They take around 10 minutes to cook through in the airfryer. You can cook them for longer if you want them extra crunchy or if they are frozen!

    A top down photo of arancini laid out on a table. There are some mushrooms on a plate next to them to show what is inside the arancini.

    🥗Serving Ideas and Other Great Recipes.

    If I'm making these mushroom arancini to serve for lunch or dinner, I love to serve it with a really great salad that has lots of good things in it:

    • Beetroot, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad
    • High Protein Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad (Gluten Free)
    • Vegan Caesar Salad with Crunchy Chickpea Croutons (Gluten Free!)
    • Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower

    I love to make other types of risotto, so why not try one of these other risotto recipes. They all make great vegan arancini balls too!

    1. Wild Garlic Pesto & Pea Risotto- Vegan
    2. Golden Butternut & Crispy Sage Risotto
    3. Jack o' Lantern Butternut Squash Vegan Arancini

    If you love this recipe, please share this post with your friends on Pinterest or Facebook, or tag me on Insta! Don't forget to also please comment and star ⭐this recipe too!

    Love & Vegan Yummies, Louise xx (P.S. Follow me on Insta and Tik Tok!)

    📖 Recipe

    A vegan mushroom arancini on a plate with a fork.

    Vegan Arancini Balls with Mushrooms

    Louise-Claire Cayzer
    Yummy leftover risotto becomes delicious mushroom filled arancini! Crunchy on the outside and lovely and creamy in the middle
    No ratings yet
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine Italian, Vegan
    Servings 12 aracini
    Calories 259 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Medium saucepan
    • 1 Large Saucepan
    • 1 Air fryer optional

    Ingredients Note:

    For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.

    (Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)

    Ingredients

    To make the Arancini.

    • 150 g (2.5 cups) panko breadcrumbs
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon salt (flakey maldon seasalt is nicest!)
    • 500 g (18 oz) cooked risotto (See the instructions below to make from scratch)
    • 100 g (¾ cups) vegan mozzarella (diced into 1cm cubes.)
    • 100 g (1 cups) sauteed mushrooms (or other filling. See below to make the mushrooms. )

    For the Risotto Base.

    • 300 g (1 ½ cups) risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli)
    • 50 g (3 tablespoon) dried mushrooms
    • 1 large onion ( finely chopped)
    • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 130 g (1 cup) frozen peas
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1300 ml (5 ½ cups) vegetable stock (use a good quality stock cube or boullion if you don't have fresh. )
    • 175 ml (¾ cups) white wine (or use 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar in 160ml water.)
    • 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 1 tablespoon white miso
    • Salt & Pepper to season

    For the Sauteed Mushrooms for stuffing the arancini.

    • 100 g (2 cups) chestnut mushrooms (or a mixture of wild and chestnut mushrooms)
    • 1 teaspoon thyme
    • 2 tablespoon white wine
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic (roughly sliced)
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • chilli flakes to taste (optional)

    Instructions

    To make the risotto if you do not have leftover risotto

    • Pour the stock into a medium saucepan, and add the dried mushrooms.
      50 g dried mushrooms, 1300 ml vegetable stock
    • Bring to a simmer and let the mushrooms steep in it, squishing them around so they let out all their delicious mushroomy essence. Keep them in the stock until later when you'll need them.
    • In a big saucepan, warm the olive oil gently, then add the onions & garlic cook until translucent.
      1 large onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • Add the rice and stir until slicked with the oil & mixed in with the onions & garlic.
      300 g risotto rice
    • Add the white wine & stir until soaked into the rice.
      175 ml white wine
    • Then. And this is the CRUCIAL bit with risotto. Add in a ladle of the stock. And stir until soaked in over a lowish heat.
    • And repeat the step above.
    • Now is a good time to start cooking the mushrooms to top the risotto. See instructions below.
    • Keep repeating the ladling of the stock and stirring until the rice becomes soft and creamy.
    • Pull the dried out of the broth, squeezing them hard to get the moisture out & the last of their juicy flavour, and chop the caps really finely.
    • If you start running out of stock, add more hot water from the kettle to the stock pot.
    • The rice should be just getting soft, and getting risotto-y on the outside, but still be a bit chalky in the middle.
    • Chop up the dried mushrooms and add them into the risotto.
      50 g dried mushrooms
    • Add the peas and stir.
      130 g frozen peas
    • Let the peas cook & the spinach wilt.
    • Check the rice is fully cooked through.
    • If it isn't,add more stock & stir.
    • Now. Add in the miso and nutritional yeast and stir well.
      2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon white miso
    • Taste- and add extra miso/salt/pepper/nutritional yeast to taste.
      Salt & Pepper to season

    For the sauteed mushrooms

    • In a large pan sautee two garlic cloves in olive oil.
      1 teaspoon olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
    • Add in the fresh mushrooms, thyme, a sprinkle of salt and cook down.
      100 g chestnut mushrooms, 1 teaspoon thyme, chilli flakes to taste
    • Add a splash of white wine and let it cook off.
      2 tablespoon white wine, salt & pepper to taste
    • Chop the cooked mushrooms finely so they can be used to stuff the arancini.

    To assemble the arancini

    • Make sure your risotto is cool enough to handle!
    • On a large plate, mix up the breadcrumbs with the olive oil, nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt.. This ensures an evenly cooked crunchy crust.
      150 g panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • Make a large golfball sized ball out of the risotto. (About 1 large tablespoon)
      500 g cooked risotto
    • Hollow out the ball and add in a little bit of mushroom and a cube of mozzarella.
      100 g vegan mozzarella, 100 g sauteed mushrooms
    • Close the risotto over the filling so it is hidden insice.
    • Roll the risotto in the breadcrumbs (risotto is nice and sticky, so they will stick well!)
    • Repeat with the rest of the risotto.
    • Cook the arancini balls in your airfryer at 180°C/356°F for about 10 minutes. Alternatively pan fry or oven bake at 180°C/356°F for roughly 20 minutes.
    • Serve fresh and hot with napkins in case of mess!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 858mgPotassium: 255mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 323IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe and loved it? Follow and Mention @vegan_larder or comment and ⭐ below

    More Entertaining

    • A roasted pumpkin filled with hot cheese dip with a hand reaching in with a corn chip to scoop up some dip.
      Cheesy Pumpkin Dip: Savory & Dairy Free
    • Georgian walnut and eggplant rolls piled onto a plate with pomegranate seeds and little mint leaves decorating the plate.
      Georgian Eggplant Walnut Rolls (nigvziani badrijani)
    • Sticky Toffee pudding with ice cream and more sauce being poured over it.
      Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding (Sticky Date Pudding)
    • A bowl of chestnut and mushroom bourguignon ready to eat.
      Chestnut and Mushroom Bourguignon

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Louise-Claire! I believe vegan and plant-based food should be easy to make, never scary and above all, absolutely delicious. Also, it's for everyone, not just for vegans!

    I'm a photographer, recipe developer and gardener. You'll find me in the kitchen, in the studio or wandering the garden, picking delicious veggies to make recipes for you! So why not stay a while, check out some of my recipes and try one or two for yourself...Find out more on my About Me page.

    Vegan Air Fryer Recipes

    • Butternut squash halved on a tray stuffed with sage and chickpea stuffing.
      Chickpea and Sage Stuffed Butternut Squash; Air fryer or Oven method
    • Cauliflower and broccoli being served on a plate.
      Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower
    • Vegan Spanakopita Triangles ready to eat.
      Vegan Cheese and Spinach Spanakopita Triangles (Air Fryer or Oven Baked)
    • Crispy Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms

    Tofu Lover? These are for you...

    • A bowl of tofu crispy crackers with a few spilled next to the bowl.
      Tofu Crispy Crackers (Healthy High Protein Chips)
    • A little bowl of vegan bacon bits with a jar of bacon bits in the background.
      Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits-Easy DIY Recipe!
    • A casserole dish with vegan tuna noodle casserole in it ready to eat.
      Vegan Tuna Casserole (Tu-no Noodle)
    • A bowl of zucchini pasta ready to eat.
      Creamy Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Basil Sauce

    Vegan Dinner Inspo

    • A plate of spaghetti with vegan mushroom scallops on top. Next to the plate is a glass of white wine and half a lemon.
      Vegan Scallops with Garlic Pasta (King Oyster Mushroom)
    • 50 vegan asparagus recipes.
      50+ Vegan Asparagus Recipes
    • Collage of 4 recipes suited for a BBQ that are vegan.
      30+Yummy Vegan BBQ Main Recipes
    • A bowl of white bean puttanesca with a few olives on top ready to eat.
      White Bean Puttanesca - One Pot Recipe

    Craving something sweet?

    • Peach and Raspberry Cake with a slice cut on a plate ready to eat.
      Raspberry and Peach Cake- Dairy and Egg Free
    • Vegan Pineapple Upside Down cake ready to slice.
      Easy Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
    • Vegan Cardamom and Spinach cake with lemon buttercream and a candle on the top.
      Vegan Cardamom & Spinach Celebration Cake
    • Rhubarb cake with a slice taken out of it.
      Easy Vegan Rhubarb Cake
    • Delicious Tofu Dessert Recipes
    • A piece of vegan carrot cake with a fork.
      Yummy Vegan Carrot Cake with Aquafaba: Egg Free

    Recipes you're all loving!

    • A plate of white bean salad with peppers and olives with some smaller plates and extra dressing in a pot in the background.
      Easy Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Olives
    • A bowl of dill pickle hummus with crackers in a bowl behind it.
      Dill Pickle Hummus - with Creamy Butterbeans.
    • A bowl of asparagus and pea pasta salad ready to eat with some lemons in the background and a little jug of extra dressing in the foreground.
      Asparagus & Pea Spring Pasta Salad with Lemon Dressing
    • Cheesy Chickpea flour crackers in a bowl. The crackers are topped with poppy seeds.
      Crispy Chickpea Flour Crackers (with chia & flaxseed)

    Lovely Lentils

    • A plate of lentil salad with spiced roasted carrots ready to eat.
      Spiced Roasted Carrot and Lentil Salad
    • A bowl of lentil bolognese with spaghetti.
      Easy Vegan Lentil Bolognese Sauce
    • A bowl of lentil and tomato soup with some vegan cheese sprinkled over it, ready to serve.
      Lentil and Tomato Soup (Lentils Monastery Style)
    • A bowl of swede and carrot soup with a hand scooping up a spoon of soup.
      Classic Swede (Rutabaga) and Carrot Soup
    • Contact Me
    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy, Cookies, Ads & T&C's

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Me
    • My Story

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • What I Do

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 The Vegan Larder on the Cravings Pro Theme

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required