Baked Mini Spinach and Sausage Arancini Bites

Summary

Mini baked rice balls made with cooked brown rice, Italian chicken or turkey sausage, spinach, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Baked until crisp and golden and served with hot marinara sauce for dipping.

Course: Appetizer • Cuisine: American-style Italian

Total time: 45 mins

Yield: 11 servings (about 22 balls) • Serving size: 2 balls

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 89 kcal • Carbs: 11 g • Protein: 5 g • Fat: 3 g • Fiber: 1 g • Cholesterol: 27 mg • Sodium: 254 mg • Sugar: 1 g

Ingredients

• 1 Italian chicken or turkey sausage link, casing removed (about 3–4 oz)
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 cup hot cooked brown rice
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 large egg white (separate from above)
• 3 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp quick marinara sauce, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place the flour, the beaten egg mixture (the whole egg and one white), and the bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls for breading.
3. In a small sauté pan, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until fully cooked through. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then finely chop or pulse in a small chopper until finely minced.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the hot cooked brown rice, minced sausage, shredded mozzarella, chopped spinach, the additional egg white, Pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce. Mix well so the ingredients bind together evenly.
5. Roll about 1 heaping tablespoon of the rice mixture into a compact round ball. Lightly coat each ball first in flour, then dip into the beaten egg, and finally roll in the seasoned bread crumbs, shaking off any excess at each step.
6. Arrange the breaded balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart so air can circulate and they crisp up.
7. Bake for 8 minutes, carefully turn each ball, then bake another 8 minutes, or until the exterior is a uniform golden brown and crisp.
8. Let the arancini cool briefly on the baking sheet before serving. Serve warm with extra hot marinara sauce for dipping.

Tips & Variations

• Make-ahead: Prepare the filling and form the balls, then refrigerate them (unbreaded) until ready to bread and bake. Bread immediately before baking for best crispness.
• Cheese options: Swap Pecorino Romano for grated Parmesan if preferred, or mix in a little fontina for extra meltiness.
• Protein alternatives: Use cooked ground beef, Italian pork sausage, or a vegetarian sausage substitute to suit dietary preferences.
• To make them gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour and gluten-free bread crumbs.
• For extra crisping, you can lightly mist the breaded balls with cooking spray before baking or finish under the broiler for a minute, watching carefully to prevent burning.
• Serve as a party appetizer on a platter with small bowls of warm marinara and toothpicks for easy picking.

Storage

Store cooled arancini in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a preheated oven until warmed through and the coating has crisped again. If freezing, freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a sealed container and bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time.

Notes

Baking instead of frying reduces added fat while still producing a satisfying crunch. Using hot cooked rice helps the mixture bind more easily. This recipe makes about 22 small arancini—two balls per serving as noted above.