Pour the cornmeal onto a plate so that your arancini can be transferred immediately to the plate once rolled. They are very sticky and need to be de-stickified as soon as possible.
Lightly flouring your hands, scoop out little dollops of the rice, placing into the palm of one hand and flatten slightly.
Place a couple of cubes of chopped vegan cheese into the centre of your risotto patty, then close the rice up around the cheese, ensuring it is completely enclosed.
Form a rough ball shape, then place onto your plate of polenta. Continue this until all the rice is used up. You should get around 8 large Arancini.
Wash your hands.
Now you can roll the balls in the cornmeal. Once coated you can carefully form them into a slightly more uniform round shape.
Heat the oil up to the point where a cube of bread turns golden and crisp in about a minute. If the oil is too hot, the polenta will just burn, too cool and the filling will ooze everywhere and absorb all the oil. Not nice. I prefer to shallow fry them as I am nervous about deep-frying, however, this is to your own preference. Using a metal slotted spoon, drop two or three of the coated balls into the hot oil and cook for about 2 minutes. They will be a rich, golden colour and the cornmeal will have made a delicious, crisp shell around the meltingly hot rice.
Leave to drain on kitchen paper whilst you fry the others.
Serve with a tomato pizza sauce or dip of your choice.
Please note that where the recipe asks for milk, butter or yogurt, this refers to any plant-based version that you prefer.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Arancini (Risotto Balls)
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.