Quinoa Arancini

Name: Quinoa Arancini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3 servings.
Cuisine: Indian Recipes, Italian Recipes, Italian Vegetarian Recipes
Ingredients: 1 package (9 ounces) ready-to-serve quinoa or 1-3/4 cups cooked quinoa; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, divided use; 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, divided; 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 6 cubes part-skim mozzarella cheese (3/4 inch each); Cooking spray; Warmed pasta sauce, optional

I wanted to make a healthier version of arancini, which is a crowd-pleasing appetizer, by substituting rice for quinoa. I prefer baking them than frying, too, and this way we can enjoy them guilt-free. —Sabrina Ovadia, New York, New York

Ingredients

1 package (9 ounces) ready-to-serve quinoa or 1-3/4 cups cooked quinoa
2 large eggs, lightly beaten, divided use
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, divided
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 cubes part-skim mozzarella cheese (3/4 inch each)
Cooking spray
Warmed pasta sauce, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Stir in one egg, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oil, basil and seasonings.
Divide into 6 portions. Shape each portion around a cheese cube to cover completely. Shape quinoa around filling, forming a ball.
Place remaining egg and 1/2 cup bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip quinoa balls in egg, then roll in bread crumbs. Place on a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan; spritz with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. If desired, serve with pasta sauce.

Test Kitchen tips

When you substitute quinoa for rice in the classic version of arancini, it adds a slight crunch.

Spritzing with cooking spray helps the bread crumbs brown a bit.

Nutrition Facts

2 arancini: 423 calories, 19g fat (6g saturated fat), 142mg cholesterol, 1283mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 5g fiber), 21g protein.

Originally published as Quinoa Arancini in Simple & Delicious June/July 2019

Reviews

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Average Rating:

curlylis85

Aug 5, 2019

The arancini were a little bit bigger than I was expecting..2 arancini is a pretty substantial portion! I liked that they were baked and the overall flavor is pretty similar to mozzarella sticks, but a lot healthier.
pattiejean

Jul 30, 2019

These were amazing! My husband said "fabulous," and he felt like he was at a restaurant! I doubled the recipe, and I'm glad I did! Easy to make and I like that they're baked and not fried.
shannondobos

Jul 29, 2019

These were surprisingly easy, and we loved them! The only thing I’ll do next time is stretch the quinoa to make 8 instead of 6. The ratio of quinoa to cheese was just a bit too much for my liking. Otherwise, perfection!
randcbruns

Jul 18, 2019

My family loves Arancini and this was a nice twist. I would have given it 5 stars but my clan was not a fan of the quinoa.
Katisha

Jul 2, 2019

I love that these are baked instead of fried.