Fried Mac`n Cheese Bites

Yesterday we published our favourite mac`n cheese recipe with all its variations, so today we`re telling you the best part of having leftover mac, these fried mac`n cheese bites are heavenly!

They`re surprisingly easy to make – the hardest part is already done! –  just remember to let the mac`n cheese completely cool in the fridge overnight so you can actually portion it. And if you`ve made a bacon and red pepper mac or a blue cheese and sausage one, that means your fried mac is going to be even tastier.

All you`re gonna need for this recipe is the day-old mac and cheese, an egg wash, flour, spiced breadcrumbs and oil for frying, it`s very straight forward. You can also have a dipping sauce, I personally love a good marinara sauce but ranch, regular ketchup, mustard, sriracha mayo, no sauce at all and so many other options can be just as delicious.

To bread the mac and cheese properly, it`s not as simple as other foods since the cheese sauce will melt when it fries. To prevent the cheese from leaking during the fry, we`re double breading them, which will also make them even crispier!

Prepare your breading station: In a medium bowl mix 3 eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk, in another one mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour and a little bit of salt and pepper, and in a third one 1 cup of breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of a mix of your favourite dry herbs, such as basil, parsley and oregano.

If you want, you can wear disposable gloves to keep your hands cleaner and make it easier to press the mac into balls, but it`s not necessary. Grab a handful of the cold mac`n cheese and press it into a ball, make sure to press it enough so that it`s not falling apart.

Roll each one of the balls into the seasoned flour, then into the egg wash, back into the flour and then egg wash, then finally, the seasoned breadcrumbs. The double flour step is what will help the cheese stay inside when you fry them.

Heat a large pot of oil to 350F, keep a thermometer handy. Place 3-4 of them into the oil carefully and fry for 4-6 minutes, or until the outside is browned. Place them on paper towels to dry and crisp up for a few minutes and serve with your favourite sauces.

Fried Mac`n Cheese Bites

Servings: 6-8

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 Lbs Mac`n Cheese, chilled for at least 4 hours

3+ Eggs

2 tsp Milk

1+ Cup AP Flour

1+ Cup Breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp Dry Herbs, such as oregano, basil and pasrley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Step-by-Step

1.       Grab a handful of the cold mac and cheese and press it into a ball, make sure you press it enough that it`s not falling apart anymore. Repeat this step until it`s all done.

2.       Prepare your breading station by mixing flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl, mix the eggs and milk in another one, and the breadcrumbs, herbs, salt and pepper in a third one.

3.       Roll each of the mac`n cheese balls into the flour mix, then dip them into the egg wash, back in the flour and then into the egg wash one more time, finish it with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Make sure there are no spots where you can see the cheese inside.

4.       Place 3-4 balls at a time into a large pot of frying oil (already at 350F) and fry them for 3-4 minutes, until the outside is slightly browned. Place them onto paper towels and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.