cheater arancinis with cranberry glaze

ready in 30 minutes and no deep frying required

cheater arancinis with cranberry glaze

serves 2 | 30 minutes

Can you make your risotto from scratch? Sure. But aren’t you doing enough this holiday season? This cheater version tastes identical and no one will know the difference. They’ll just be wowed when you casually whip these out like it’s nothing. Bonus: you can make the whole thing ahead, and there’s zero deep frying, so your house won’t smell like a fry shack and you’re not sacrificing any precious oven or stovetop real estate.

The trick? Toasted breadcrumbs. They’re already crispy and already golden, so the air fryer’s just warming everything through instead of doing the heavy lifting (and taking it’s sweet time so your arancini melts through the grates… yikes).

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• chef’s knife

• cutting board

• cheese grater

• 1 1/2 tbsp cookie scoop

• baking sheet

• small baking sheet

• air fryer

• small frying pan

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For the balls:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked risotto - mushroom or cheese (I use the Knorr three cheese mushroom risotto cups)

• 3/4 cup shredded gruyere

• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

• 1 heaping cup panko bread crumbs

• oil spray

For the cranberry jam:

• 3/4 cup canned cranberry sauce

• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• splash of water if needed (to thin out sauce)

To finish:

• finely grated parmesan

• fresh thyme

risotto notes: if you’re REALLY not down to use a packaged risotto you can make your own and still follow this recipe to avoid the deep frying

⏰ make ahead:

• make the risotto in advance and assemble the balls when ready

• OR you can make these fully in advance and pop in the fridge for up to 2 days and air fry to serve.

📦 storing: keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

🔄leftovers: reheat from the fridge straight into the air fryer

🌾make it GF: ❌

🧀make it DF: ❌

1. make your risotto

   

• follow package instructions to make the risotto.

• line a small baking sheet with parchment and spread risotto into a thin layer and pop into the fridge to cool.

2. make your breading

   

• to a small frying pan over medium heat, add 1 heaping cup panko and a big pinch of salt. Cook until deeply golden, tossing frequently (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and dump onto a plate/shallow bowl.

3. assemble

   

• grate your cheese now.

• remove risotto tray from fridge and add cheese, mix together to incorporate (I just use my hands).

• scoop into 1 1/2 tbsp balls and squeeze together. Drop into the breadcrumbs and roll around/squish the breadcrumbs into the sides. Add to a plate and once all are coated, put the plate in the fridge until ready to serve (at least 10- 15 minutes).

4. make the cranberry sauce

   

• to the same pan, add 3/4 cups cranberry sauce and 1/2 tbsp balsamic. Add a big splash of water and bring to a simmer. Set aside (but reheat so you serve warm).

5. bake + serve

   

• preheat your air fryer to 400F. Spray the basket with oil (so they don’t stick), add balls and spray them well, leaving a bit of space between each ball.

• bake for 5-7 minutes until warmed through.

• serve topped with lots of grated parmesan and a tiny bit of fresh thyme on each ball, with the dip on the side.

⚠️ Important Note: if a substitute isn't listed below, I don't recommend omitting or replacing that ingredient, as it will significantly alter the final dish.

• gruyere/mozzarella: use all gruyere but not all mozza as it will lack flavor

• breadcrumbs: they must be panko for crunch factor!

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