Name: Baked Spinach and Cheese Rice Balls (Arancini)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 285 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil, (divided use); 1 small yellow onion, (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic, (finely chopped); 1 cup U.S.-grown short grain brown rice; ½ cup dry white wine; 2 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable stock; 2 ounces frozen chopped spinach, (squeezed dry, about ½ cup); 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; Salt and pepper; 1 large egg; ½ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs; 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, (diced into ½ inch pieces); Marinara sauce (for serving (optional))

Published: Mar 20, 2016 · Last Updated: May 7, 2022 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

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These delicious rice balls are a healthy remake of classic Italian arancini.

#thinkrice #usarice #riceballs #arancini #thefoodiephysician

Thanks to USA Rice for sponsoring this post. I was asked to participate in the “#ThinkRice” campaign as a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network.

If you’ve never had arancini before, then you must try this recipe! Arancini are Italian rice balls and they’re one of those dishes that I have to order when I see them on a menu. These delectable bites are traditionally made with risotto, an Italian rice dish that has a rich, velvety taste and texture, but is a little time-consuming to prepare. The risotto is formed into a ball and can be stuffed with various treats like meat, cheese, raisins or pine nuts. Then the balls are coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried. The end result is delicious mouthful that’s crispy on the outside with an ooey, gooey, cheesy center.

My Baked Spinach and Cheese Rice Balls are a great recipe to try at home because they’re easier to make than traditional arancini and you can use any leftover rice that you have. Plus they’re a lot healthier! So in honor of National Nutrition Month, I decided to perform a recipe resuscitation of Italian rice balls and make a lighter version of this classic dish.

Why are my rice balls healthier? First of all, they’re baked in the oven instead of deep-fried. This cuts a significant amount of calories and fat. To make sure that they still get that nice crispy texture on the outside, I mix the breadcrumbs with a small amount of olive oil and bake them at a high temperature in the oven. If you still want even more crispiness, you can place them under the broiler for a few minutes at the end.

In addition, I make my rice balls with nutritious brown rice. I use U.S.-grown short grain brown rice in this dish instead of long grain rice because it has a texture that's closer to the white Arborio rice traditionally used in risotto.

Not sure about the different types of rice that are available at the grocery store? Long grain rice has firm grains that stay fluffy and separate after cooking. It's great for dishes like pilafs, salads, casseroles, stir-fry and Southern favorites like jambalaya and gumbo. Medium and short grain rice cook up soft and tender and stick together more. They are better suited for dishes with a creamier consistency like risotto, rice pudding and sushi.

No matter what type of rice you’re using, this grain packs a serious nutritional punch. U.S.-grown rice provides more than 15 essential vitamins and minerals including folic acid, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, selenium, fiber, iron and zinc.

It’s also budget-friendly and can form the foundation of many healthy meals as it pairs well with so many other healthy foods like seafood, lean protein, vegetables and even fruit.

When you’re at the grocery store, look for the “Grown in the USA Rice” logo on packages of 100% domestically grown rice. In addition to all of the nutritional benefits, when you eat U.S.-grown rice, you’re also helping the environment by reducing food miles.

To boost the nutrition of this dish even more, I stir some chopped spinach into the rice mixture. The addition of an egg helps to hold the balls together. Since we’re not using traditional risotto, which has a stickier consistency, the rice mixture won't hold together as well without it.

I like to include a little pocket of mozzarella cheese in the center of the rice balls. It’s a nice little surprise when you bite into one and get a bite of yummy, melted cheese.

Once the rice balls are assembled, they get a final rolling in some breadcrumbs before I pop them in the oven. I use whole wheat breadcrumbs to incorporate more whole grains into the dish. I like the crispiness of panko breadcrumbs and now you can often find whole wheat panko breadcrumbs in stores. If you can’t find them, you can use a mixture of regular panko with whole wheat breadcrumbs.