Arancini are stuffed rice balls that are coated with breadcrumbs and fried.

Arancini are usually filled with ragù (a meat-based sauce), tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas. There are a number of local variants that differ in fillings and shapes.

The name derives from their shape and color, which is reminiscent of an orange (the Italian word for orange is arancia, and arancina means "little orange"), although in eastern Sicily, arancini have a more conical shape.

In Palermo and Trapani, Sicily, arancini are a traditional food for the feast of Santa Lucia, 13 December, when bread and pasta are not eaten. This commemorates arrival of a grain supply ship on Santa Lucia's day in 1646, relieving a severe famine.

Nowadays, with the increasing popularity of this snack food in modern Italian food culture, arancini are found all year round at most Sicilian food outlets, particularly in Palermo.