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What to Serve with Arancini Balls? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Make Arancini balls that’ll fly into the mouths of your dinner guests, and top that with a scrumptious side dish.

Is the thought making you drool? Arancini balls are everything you’d want on your taste palate at any particular time.

The gooey mozzarella center with the crunchy crumb covering gives a melt-in-the-mouth experience.

You may think of the basic side dishes with the balls, such as mashed potatoes or roasted veggies.

But why stick to basics when you can do something phenomenal?

If you are wondering what to serve with arancini balls that are both creative and delicious, then you are at the right place.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Arancini Balls?

Yes, you may wonder why you should even serve side dishes when Arancini balls themselves are so tasty and complete.

Well, side dishes can make your meals sing, and there are lots of side dishes that taste wonderful with arancini balls.

Arancini balls have tasty ingredients like cheese, ham, eggs, peas, and more, but the overall taste can be a little bland for some.

By adding striking flavors to side dishes such as radish salad or eggplant parmigiana, you can enhance the overall meal experience.

Side dishes will also allow you to balance the meal with vegetables, nuts, or fruits.

What to Serve with Arancini Balls? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Let us look at some of the best side dishes that go well with Arancini balls.

Remember, this list is not exhaustive, and you can experiment with whatever you like.

But the following dishes are tasted and loved by many.

1 – Eggplant Parmigiani

Talk about vegetarian lasagne, and you have the eggplant parmigiana.

This side dish deserved to be on the list because it brings in the sweet and slight tanginess that’s much needed with the cheesy Arancini balls.

This Parmigiani is made using layers of eggplant, tomato sauce, basil, and molten cheese.

Bake the ingredients until golden brown, and enjoy it with arancini balls.

The soft and mushy texture of the eggplant parmigiana suits the crunchiness of the Arancini balls.

This flavorful combination is sure to satisfy everybody’s taste palate.

2 – Radish Salad

Arancini balls are heavy and filling since it contains rice and is cheesy, which can make people stuffy.

A light salad on the side, such as a radish salad, goes perfectly with these balls.

Also, the Arancini ball is a Mediterranean dish, so it makes sense that you add another Mediterranean dish, such as a radish salad, on the side.

Radish has a distinct piquant flavor that blends with the light and cheesy flavor of Arancini balls.

It is best if you can grab fresh radish from the garden.

3 – Rosemary and Parmesan Polenta Wedges

Nobody can say no to potato wedges.

But try giving your potatoes a little Italian twist by making them in rosemary, polenta, and parmesan.

If you think your Arancini balls have gone too cheesy, then you can skip the parmesan here.

The dish is easy to make and requires only three main ingredients- potatoes, fresh rosemary, and polenta.

This side dish, along with the Arancini balls, can be eaten heartily with a dipping sauce such as tomato sauce or a garlic dip.

You can even add some spice to this dish by sprinkling some chili powder on the wedges.

4 – Tomatoes and Beans

Green beans with tomato sauce are an Italian favorite side dish.

Why serve this with Arancini balls, you ask? This side dish will add the much-needed greens or vegetables to your meal.

Green beans are healthy and taste great when cooked in tomato sauce/puree.

Arancini balls do not contain any veggies, so they may be too much for some of your guests.

Adding this side dish will enhance the overall flavor of Arancini balls due to the sweetness and tanginess of the tomatoes and Italian seasonings.

You can even use a mix of 2-3 kinds of beans to intensify the flavor even further.

5 – Aioli

Now, if you simply want a side dip that you can enjoy with Arancini balls, then you cannot go wrong with Aioli.

Aioli is very similar to mayonnaise, but just that it’s loaded with olive oil and garlic.

Arancini balls are made of rice, cheese, and other ingredients, thus making them a heavy dish.

Maybe adding a dip to the side will make a better choice than serving a full dish.

Also, the garlicky flavor of Aioli pairs perfectly with the cheesy and crumbly texture of the Arancini balls.

It is easy to make, and the prep time won’t be more than 10 minutes.

6 – Mushroom Bruschetta

Mushroom bruschetta will pair well with Arancini balls because it is not very heavy and tastes great.

You can even opt for tomato bruschetta if you are allergic to mushrooms.

Since Arancini balls are devoid of any fresh vegetables, adding this side dish will help in balancing the meal.

You can opt for a thin slice of crusty baguette so that it doesn’t make you feel full when eaten with Arancini balls.

The strong garlic and black pepper flavor in mushroom bruschetta will blend well with the cheesiness of Arancini balls.

7 – Pomegranate and Pear Salad

Don’t forget the fruits when you are serving Arancini balls to your guests.

We say this because Arancini balls are made of rice and can make your guests full and stuffy.

Adding a fruit salad as a side dish will balance out the food by adding freshness and fresh crunch to the meal.

This salad will hardly take 10 minutes and is a very healthy option.

You can add pear, pomegranate, rocket leaves with olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

You can even top it off with parmesan cheese if you like.

Also, adding nuts like walnuts will alleviate the flavor even more.

8 – Wilted Baby Spinach

This is another side dish that’ll add freshness and make your Arancini balls meal even healthier.

It takes only 5 minutes to prepare this side dish, and you only need three ingredients for it.

Simply add olive oil, garlic, and baby spinach.

Don’t overcook but sauté for only 3-4 minutes.

You can even add peanuts to it if you need an extra crunch.

This side dish is light and will taste heavenly with Arancini balls.

9 – Beetroot Relish

Beetroot relish has been used since time immemorial as an excellent side dish.

It is made using beetroot, vinegar, sugar, and other spices.

The earthy flavors of this relish taste great with the cheesy and plain Arancini balls.

It brings sweet and spicy flavors to the table when served with Arancini meatballs.

It is light, easy to make, and adds depth to the Arancini balls’ flavors.

Make sure that the beetroots are fresh since old ones tend to have a strong earthy smell.

10 – Grilled Asparagus

Grilled asparagus is a classic side dish that goes well with any kind of main course meal.

It is light and complements Arancini balls really well because it has a dash of tanginess too.

After grilling the asparagus, you can squeeze lemon, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, and that’s all.

The asparagus gives a smoky taste that tastes unique and blends with the cheesiness of Arancini balls.

Conclusion

Arancini balls are made of risotto rice, cheese, ham, eggs, and more.

They make a great dish for any kind of party or event at anytime of the year.

However, these balls are cheesy and slightly dry, so a well-thought side dish is much needed to enjoy these balls fully.

A thick dip or a light salad are great side dishes that complement the taste of Arancini balls.

In fact, a simple garlic dip will truly allow your guests to enjoy the meal.

So wait no more and try any of the 10 best side dishes to serve with Arancini balls right away.

What to Serve with Arancini Balls? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Looking to enhance your arancini ball experience? Look no further! We've curated a list of the 10 best side dishes that will perfectly complement the savory goodness of arancini balls.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dishes
Servings 1 Serving

Ingredients
  

  • Eggplant Parmigiani
  • Radish Salad
  • Rosemary and Parmesan Polenta Wedges
  • Tomatoes and Beans
  • Aioli
  • Mushroom Bruschetta
  • Pomegranate and Pear Salad
  • Wilted Baby Spinach
  • Beetroot Relish
  • Grilled Asparagus

Instructions
 

  • Pick your favorite recipe from the article.
  • Organize your ingredients and utensils.
  • Follow the detailed instructions in the recipe to make your side dish.
  • Prepare and serve for delicious meal!
Keyword what to serve with arancini balls
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