I can’t get over how much I adore these cauliflower rice arancini.
Yes — cauliflower rice arancini. It sounds almost unbelievable, and yet it’s absolutely real, easy to make, and perfect for dinner tonight.
Arancini have long been a favorite, and I’m picky about them. I love grabbing them at a local restaurant and I’ve shared plenty of homemade versions before. Traditional arancini can be time-consuming and usually call for a pot of hot oil — until now.
They are SO good.
This cauliflower version is adapted from my friend Gina’s Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook. I also tried her Skinnytaste air fryer for the recipes and quickly fell in love with the appliance. If you enjoy crisp textures without deep frying, an air fryer delivers that satisfying crunch in a lighter, quicker way.
When air fryers first appeared I was skeptical — I thought the oven could do the job — but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The air fryer creates a crisp exterior that rivals frying, while keeping the inside tender and cheesy. It’s compact, easy to use, and fast. The model I used has a large basket, so you can often cook many pieces at once instead of doing endless batches.
The cauliflower arancini deliver everything I want: a super cheesy center and a satisfyingly crunchy exterior. Gina’s recipe is different from typical arancini but it works beautifully. Cauliflower rice mixed with Italian chicken sausage and plenty of cheese forms a flavorful, cohesive filling that’s easy to shape and crisps up wonderfully in the air fryer.
The chicken sausage adds another dimension of flavor, but you can omit it for a vegetarian version and rely on cauliflower and cheese alone. The result is remarkably tasty and lighter than a traditional fried arancini, while still checking all the boxes for texture and flavor.
Cauliflower Rice Arancini
Cheesy Cauliflower Arancini
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Ingredients
- 2 Italian chicken sausage links, any casing removed
- 4 ½ cups frozen cauliflower rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- olive oil spray for spritzing
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
Equipment
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air fryer
Instructions
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, about 4 to 5 minutes.
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Stir in the cauliflower rice, salt, and ½ cup marinara. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the cauliflower is tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the mozzarella. Let the mixture cool until it’s easy to handle.
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Scoop ¼ cup portions of the mixture and shape each into a ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture.
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Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan. Dip each ball in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture to coat completely.
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Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Spray the arancini all over with olive oil spray to help them crisp. Arrange them in the air fryer basket (you may need two batches) and cook 9 to 10 minutes, flipping gently halfway through, until golden and crisp.
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Warm the remaining marinara and serve the arancini immediately for dipping.
Notes
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The cheese pulls are everything.