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- Makes 9 arancini
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These cheese-free arancini are crisped to golden-brown perfection in an air fryer so you get a satisfying crunch without the unhealthy oil. Each creamy rice ball is stuffed with green olives and piquant peppers to create a tangy center that contrasts nicely with the garlicky Arborio rice. A coating of bread crumbs ensures a crispy exterior while a side of spicy marinara makes for a delicious dipping sauce. Serve air-fried arancini as an appetizer, or pair them with a green salad to create a fantastic vegan Italian meal. Be sure to make a double batch if you don’t want these bite-sized beauties to disappear too quickly!
Tip: To bake instead of air-fry, preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place arancini on a baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
For more vegan appetizers, check out these tasty ideas:
- Smoky Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
- Greek Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Roasted Tomato, White Bean, and Olive Bruschetta
- Or take a look at our full collection of vegan party appetizers
By Juliana Hale,
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- ½ cup canned no-salt-added chickpeas, undrained
- 1⅓ cups cooked brown Arborio rice, chilled
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 9 pimiento-stuffed green olives
- 9 piquante peppers, such as Peppadew peppers
- ½ cup whole wheat panko or gluten-free bread crumbs
- ¾ cup spicy oil-free pasta sauce, warmed (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl stir together flaxseed meal and 2 tablespoons water. Let stand 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl mash chickpeas with a fork until nearly smooth. Stir in flaxseed mixture, rice, nutritional yeast, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Stuff a green olive inside each pepper. Divide rice mixture into nine portions. Wrap each rice portion around a stuffed pepper to form a ball.
- Place panko in a shallow dish. Roll each ball in panko, lightly pressing to coat.
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F. Place risotto balls in a single layer in air-fryer basket. (Fry in batches, if needed.) Air-fry 8 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, turning once. Serve with warm pasta sauce for dipping (if using).
Comments (6)
(5 from 2 votes)Can this recipe be adapted for a conventional oven?
It looks like there's a "tip" in the intro for a baking option.
Yes, it can. Please see the tip at the top of the recipe: "To bake instead of air-fry, preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place arancini on a baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp." Good luck!
I wish you would include nutritional breakdowns for your recipes, especially the macro nutrient numbers. Some of us are counting amounts of carbs, fat, and protein in our nutritional intake. Thank you.
These were delicious, and nice and crispy in the air fryer. The 1/2 cup undrained chickpeas was unclear to me, though...how much liquid was supposed to be in that 1/2 cup? I scooped them out of the can with very little liquid, figuring I could always add it in, but it worked fine like that.