Gochujang Arancini Balls With Kimchi Mayonnaise

Gochujang Arancini Balls are a flavor and texture match made in heaven. We use Gochujang (a spicy fermented Korean chili paste) in Italian deep-fried risotto balls to make a Korean-Italian fusion dish that's spicy, tangy, sweet, soft, and crunchy all in one bite. Served with an easy Kimchi mayonnaise, this dish is one of my personal favorites, and I make it all the time for friends, family, and my private chef clients!

Italian rice balls, or risotto balls, are exactly what they suggest: balls of risotto coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. For this version, we make a gochujang risotto, let it chill, then roll it into balls, coat it in breadcrumbs (a pané), and deep fry. I'll also give you tips on other cooking methods and what gives the best results.

I like to make arancini balls small so that they are bite-sized and can be served as canapes as well as a first course or small sharing plate. But this is your rodeo, you can make them bigger if you prefer, it will just affect cooking time slightly.

I love this recipe as it has all my favorite things in it. It has a bit of spice, a bit of sweetness, some tang, and a real savory hit. It's cozy and comforting on the inside but with a crisp exterior that has the perfect contrasting crunch. And it's an unusual recipe that I'm very proud to have created. If you're looking for ways to use gochujang paste, try this!

Ingredient notes

Gochujang paste is quite widely available now, but make sure you buy the proper Korean paste and not a pre-made sauce or just something containing it. Authentic gochujang paste is a deep red color and is very thick, stiff, and gloopy. You can make so many recipes with gochujang, and I love the intensity of flavor it has.

Make the gochujang risotto and chill it

Sauté your diced shallots in oil, and when soft, add the risotto rice and gochujang paste. Stir that through and then add the white wine and reduce down over low-medium heat.

Once the wine is nearly all absorbed, start adding hot stock a ladle at a time. Stir occasionally but not continually. Once the rice is cooked, add the grated Parmesan, honey, and lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the cooked gochujang risotto into a shallow dish, cover, and refrigerate for an hour to let it chill completely. It needs to be cold as it will firm up in the fridge, which helps us to form the balls.

Meanwhile, prep your panko station. You will need a plate with some flour (you can use plain flour or gluten-free flour), a bowl with a whisked egg, and a bowl with panko breadcrumbs. Season everything with salt and pepper.

Form and panko the gochujang arancini balls

Use a spoon to scoop the chilled risotto out, and then squeeze/roll into balls. Genly toss in the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko.

Place the gochujang risotto balls onto a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until needed.

How to cook arancini balls

For the best results when cooking arancini, deep fry. Yes, it's more of a hassle, but it will give you the best crispy arancini exterior with gooey and soft interior. Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil or corn oil.

If you own a deep-fat fryer, set the heat to 170–175°C (340–350°F). Any hotter than this can burn the breadcrumbs, but too much cooler will give you greasy arancini. Carefully drop the gochujang arancini into the hot oil in small batches and use the basket to remove them when golden brown all over. They don't take long at all, 2-3 minutes per batch.

To deep fry on the stove, heat the oil in a pan, and when it reaches 170–175°C (340–350°F, deep fry the gochujang arancini in small batches (I do 3 at a time) . Use a slotted spoon to remove them to a paper towel-lined plate or a wire cooling rack over a tray.

How to airfry

You can also airfry arancini, but I do not think it gives results that are as good. Spray them all over with cooking oil and airfry for around 10 minutes at 180°C / 350°F or until golden brown.

Can I oven-bake arancini?

Yes, you can technically oven-bake arancini, but you will not get the same results with that perfectly crispy crunch.

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.

Place the arancini on a wire rack on top of an oven tray and spray with cooking oil.

Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway.

Make a quick kimchi mayo and serve

Blend the kimchi with mayonnaise and add a squeeze of extra lime juice. It can help to strain the kimchi first if it is quite watery.

Spread the kimchi dipping sauce onto a serving plate and place the gochujang arancini on top. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, spring onions, and more grated Parmesan.

Wine Pairing

A slightly sweeter wine goes wonderfully well with gochujang arancini. So a semi-sweet Riesling is ideal. Read some more basic food and wine pairing tips to elevate all your meals!

What if I have leftovers?

You can keep leftover arancini in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, but they will lose their crispiness. To re-crisp and reheat arancini, the best option is to briefly deep fry them again, or use an air fryer, if you have one. It will take around 5 minutes at 350°F (175°C). You can also reheat in the oven for around 10-15 minutes at 350°F (175°C), but the panko won't be as crunchy.

You can also shallow fry them in a pan with some oil, but they might go a bit squished and misshapen, and this method can also make them a tad greasier.

Can I freeze arancini and cook from frozen?

The best way to freeze arancini is before you cook them, and this is how many restaurants prep arancini balls. So panko them all, and then place them on a parchment paper-lined tray in the freezer. Once frozen, you can move them into ziplock bags for easier storage.

To cook frozen arancini, use the same method, but they will take slightly longer. I recomend doing them in small batches to avoid lowering the temperature of the oil too much when they go in. You can also start them off by deep-frying and then move them into the oven to make sure they are cooked through.

If you want to freeze cooked arancini, follow the same method for freezing them and then reheat in an air fryer, oven, or deep fat fryer as above; they will just take a bit longer.

Equipment

You will want to cook the risotto in a pot on the stove that has good heat distribution, like an enamelled cast-iron casserole pan. If you do not have a deep-fat fryer, deep fry the gochujang risotto balls in a tall saucepan so you can get the required depth of oil. It is worth using a thermometer to check the oil temperature as well.