Deep Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

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My deep fried mac and cheese has creamy pasta and melty cheese inside an ultra crispy batter. Your favorite comfort food is now a handheld appetizer you can dip!

I love deep frying unexpected things like pickles and lasagna  as well as the classics like fish. This recipe takes one of my all time favorites: mac and cheese and makes it even better. It if frozen, breaded, and fried until crispy. It reminds me of those crispy crunchy edges you get when baking mac and cheese in the oven.

It reminds me of an appetizer we get at Cheesecake Factory, but it easy enough for game day. Best of all its made with pantry staples! I like to dip mine in a generous amount of marinara. Ranch, buffalo sauce, sriracha mayo, or even hot honey would be fantastic as well. .

Why This Recipe Works

• Oven Baked Mac and Cheese: Baking in the oven instead of on the stovetop gives you a firm scoopable mixture that holds its shape.

• Layered Breading: Flour dries the surface and helps the egg wash sticky, while seasoned breadcrumbs add tons of crunch.
• Freezing: Freezing the mac and cheese helps it hold it shape and prevents it from oozing out.
  

Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips

• Pasta: If you don't have macaroni on hand opt for other small pastas that trap sauce such as mini shells, rotini, or cavatappi.
• Milk: Use whole milk for the creamiest sauce.
• Sharp Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. Pre-shredded varieties have additives that interfere with smooth melting. Colby Jack and gouda are good options too.
• Bread Crumbs: You can also make your own seasoned breadcrumbs by adding ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
• Peanut Oil: I like peanut oil as it has a neural taste and high heat tolerance. You could also use canola or vegetable oil.

Krystle's Tips and Tricks

1. Cook Pasta to Al Dente: You want it to still have some bite as we'll cook it twice more. This will prevent it from being mushy.
2. Wet Hand Dry Hand Method: Use one hand for the dry ingredients and one for the wet. This will prevent you from breading your hands and making a mess.
3. Uniform Scoops: Use a cookie scoop so they're all about the same size and cook at the same rate.
4. Work In Batches: You don't want to crowd the pan. This can drop the oil temperature and leave you with soggy fritters. Use a deep fry thermometer to keep the temperature at around 350-360 degrees.
5. Rest On a Wire Rack: This allows air to circulate. Draining on paper towels can create steam and make your food soggy.

Mistakes We Made When Testing This Recipe

FAQs

More Mac and Cheese Recipes I Love

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

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📖 Recipe

Crispy Deep Fried Mac and Cheese Bitese

Creamy macaroni and melty cheese coated in a crispy, crunchy batter. Satisfy your craving with this tasty appetizer!

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 37 minutes minutes

Total Time: 47 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 Servings

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Krystle Smith

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 Eggs Beaten and Divided
• ▢ 4 Cups Cooked Elbow Macaroni
• ▢ 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded
• ▢ ½ Cup Sour Cream
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons Butter
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1 Cup Whole Milk
• ▢ Flour & Seasoned Breadcrumbs For Dredging
• ▢ Peanut Oil For Frying

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked macaroni ,cheddar cheese,2 eggs, sour cream,butter salt, and milk.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes.
• In a large dutch oven heat peanut oil to 350 degrees F.
• Form mac and cheese into balls and chill for 2 hours or freeze for one hour. Then dredge in flour, 2 eggs, and bread crumbs.
• Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Notes

Ingredient Notes

• • Pasta: If you don't have macaroni on hand opt for other small pastas that trap sauce such as mini shells, rotini, or cavatappi.
  • Milk: Use whole milk for the creamiest sauce.
  • Sharp Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. Pre-shredded varieties have additives that interfere with smooth melting.
  • Peanut Oil: I like peanut oil as it has a neural taste and high heat tolerance. You could also use canola or vegetable oil.

Tips for Success

1. Cook Pasta to Al Dente: You want it to still have some bite as we'll cook it twice more. This will prevent it from being mushy.
2. Wet Hand Dry Hand Method: Use one hand for the dry ingredients and one for the wet. This will prevent you from breading your hands and making a mess.
3. Uniform Scoops: Use a cookie scoop so they're all about the same size and cook at the same rate.
4. Work In Batches: You don't want to crowd the pan. This can drop the oil temperature and leave you with soggy fritters. Use a deep fry thermometer to keep the temperature at around 350-360 degrees.
5. Rest On a Wire Rack: This allows air to circulate. Draining on paper towels can create steam and make your food soggy.

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Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 573IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 1mg

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