Ricette di Sicilia
Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Meat Arancini - a Journey Through Sicilian Street Food
Discover how to make traditional Sicilian meat arancini: crisp, golden rice balls with a rich ragù centre - an irresistible taste of Sicily in every bite.
🛒 Ingredients
- ✓ 500 g short-grain rice
- ✓ 400 g minced beef
- ✓ 400 g fresh peas
- ✓ 2 eggs
- ✓ 1 tablespoon plain flour
- ✓ 50 g grated pecorino cheese
- ✓ 500 ml tomato sauce
- ✓ 1 stick of celery
- ✓ a small bunch of parsley
- ✓ half an onion
- ✓ extra virgin olive oil
- ✓ salt
- ✓ freshly ground black pepper
- ✓ breadcrumbs, for coating
- ✓ vegetable oil, for frying
Among the most iconic bites of Sicilian street food, meat arancini hold a special place in the hearts of locals. These generous, golden spheres wrap a rich beef ragù inside a shell of tender, seasoned rice, all encased in a crisp breadcrumb coating. They’re warming, deeply savoury and wonderfully nostalgic - the sort of food that tells a story before you even take a bite.
On the 13th of December, during the feast of Santa Lucia, Palermo fills with the scent of simmering ragù and freshly fried rice balls. Yet these arancini are just as irresistible on any other day of the year, whether you’re preparing them for a family gathering or simply craving something hearty and comforting.
With the sweetness of peas, the perfume of soft-cooked onions and the gentle richness of tomato, each arancino is a little journey through Sicily’s culinary soul - a celebration of simplicity, flavour and long-standing tradition.
👨🍳 Preparation
- 1
Make the ragù: finely chop the parsley, celery and onion, then sauté in a pan with olive oil, the minced beef and a pinch of salt. Cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Add the peas and cook gently until the mixture begins to thicken. Season with pepper, pour in the tomato sauce and simmer for about 1 hour until rich and well reduced.
- 3
Cook the rice in salted water, drain it al dente and mix it with the eggs and flour. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
- 4
Shape the rice into balls about the size of an orange, create a hollow and fill with a spoonful of ragù.
- 5
Roll each filled ball in breadcrumbs until well coated.
- 6
Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden all over, then drain on kitchen paper.
- 7
Serve the arancini piping hot.
💡 Tips and Variations
For a vegetarian twist, replace the beef with sautéed mushrooms or diced aubergine. Arborio or Carnaroli rice works beautifully when you want perfectly compact, creamy-centred arancini.
📦 Storage
- • Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- • You can freeze uncooked arancini for up to 1 month.
- • Reheat in the oven at 160°C for 10 minutes before serving.
🍷 Pairing
Enjoy meat arancini with a glass of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a fragrant Sicilian red whose lively fruit notes and gentle acidity complement the warmth of the ragù.
Thank you for exploring this traditional Sicilian recipe with me. Give these meat arancini a try and share their unmistakable flavours with the people you love - a delicious taste of Sicily, straight from your kitchen.
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