Name: Holiday Stuffing Arancini with Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Yield: 12-24 arancini
Ingredients: For the Stuffing:; ½ pound ground mild Italian chicken or pork sausage; 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided; ½ cup shallots, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 cup arborio rice; ½ cup white wine; 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped; 4 cups chicken broth, warmed; ¼ cup roasted and pureed butternut squash, or canned pumpkin puree; For the Breading:; 2 cups flour; 3 eggs; 2 cups panko; 32 ounces neutral oil (for frying), vegetable, peanut, or sunflower oil; For the Herb Gravy Dipping Sauce:; 1 ½ cups water; ¼ cup unsalted butter; For the Spiced Cranberry Sauce:; 12 ounces cranberries; 1 cup water; 1/4 tsp. Mayan Sea Salt; 1 fresno pepper, thinly sliced

Home | Recipes | Holiday Stuffing Arancini with Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Holiday Stuffing Arancini with Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Recipe by Savory Spice Test Kitchen

Crispy & Fried Foods

Fusion

Combine the flavors of classic holiday stuffing with Italian risotto. Each golden bite features seasoned sausage, aromatic herbs, and a touch of squash for richness. Served with herb gravy and spiced cranberry sauce, these arancini deliver a satisfying mix of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors perfect for Thanksgiving gatherings.

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Serves 12-24 arancini

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cooking Time 1 hour

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Holiday Stuffing Arancini with Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

For the Stuffing: ½ pound ground mild Italian chicken or pork sausage 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided ½ cup shallots, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 cup arborio rice

1 tsp. Mayan Sea Salt

1 tsp. Rubbed Sage

1 tsp. Ground Rosemary

½ tsp. Premium French Thyme

½ cup white wine 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped 4 cups chicken broth, warmed ¼ cup roasted and pureed butternut squash, or canned pumpkin puree For the Breading: 2 cups flour 3 eggs 2 cups panko 32 ounces neutral oil (for frying), vegetable, peanut, or sunflower oil For the Herb Gravy Dipping Sauce:

French Onion Gravy Spice & Easy

1 ½ cups water ¼ cup unsalted butter For the Spiced Cranberry Sauce: 12 ounces cranberries 1 cup water 1/4 tsp. Mayan Sea Salt

½ tsp. Hungarian Paprika

½ tsp. Ancho Chile Powder

½ tsp. Crushed Urfa Chiles

1 fresno pepper, thinly sliced

Directions

Step 1 In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a gentle simmer. Heat a 3 ½ quart dutch oven or a medium deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear small bite sized pieces of the sausage until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip pieces to brown the other side, about 3 minutes more. Set aside.

Step 2 Wipe the sausage fat from the pan with a paper towel. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium high heat, add the shallots and garlic to saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Set aside along with the cooked sausage.

Step 3 Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add the arborio rice, Mayan Sea Salt, Rubbed Sage, Ground Rosemary, and Premium French Thyme to the hot oil. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the rice is very lightly golden and toasted.

Step 4 Add the white wine and fresh chopped rosemary, reduce heat to medium. Continue to stir until the wine is mostly all evaporated. Add one ladle full of the warmed chicken broth and continue to stir, adding additional broth once the previous ladleful is close to being fully absorbed. Continue until all the chicken broth is used and the rice is tender but not mushy, about 25-30 minutes. Return the cooked sausage and sauteed shallot mixture to the pan. Stir in the squash or pumpkin puree and the remaining butter.

Step 5 Spread the risotto out onto a parchment lined sheet tray and cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating to cool completely.

Step 6 Meanwhile, cook the cranberry sauce and the French Onion Gravy. Add the cranberries, water, Mayan Sea Salt, Hungarian Paprika, and Ancho Chile Powder to a medium sauce pan and heat over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until the cranberries have broken down and start to become saucy. Set aside in a bowl and garnish with Crushed Urfa Chiles and sliced fresno peppers.

Step 7 In a separate medium pot combine the French Onion Gravy mix, water, and butter, and cook to package instructions.

Step 8 Use an ice cream scoop to portion the risotto into 12 two-ounce arancini balls OR 24 one-ounce arancini. Scoop the risotto into the palm of your hand and shape into a ball.

Step 9 Meanwhile, fill a large pot with 2-3 inches of the neutral oil and heat over medium-high to 350°F. Then, set up your frying station. In three separate baking dishes or shallow bowls, add the flour to one, panko to another, and beat the eggs in the third dish.

Step 10 Roll each arancino first into the flour, then the egg mixture, and then in the panko. Fry in batches of 3-4 arancini until deep golden brown, turning as needed, about 5-6 minutes. Set onto a wire rack to drain off the frying oil.

Step 11 Serve warm with Herb Gravy and Spiced Cranberry Sauce.

Recipe Notes

For the best texture, cool the risotto completely before shaping and breading; this ensures the arancini hold their form while frying. If making ahead, refrigerate the rolled arancini for up to 24 hours before frying.

When frying, maintain the oil temperature at 350°F — too cool and they’ll absorb oil, too hot and the crust will brown before the center heats through.