“I eat whatever I want. I like bread and cheese and wine, and that makes my life fun and enjoyable.” -Gwyneth Paltrow
Who doesn’t love Mac & Cheese? The gooey cheese is to die for! With Thanksgiving now over, I’m doing a little spin on this dish - Fried Macaroni & Cheese Balls. This appetizer is a great way to repurpose a homemade classic dish into something super fun. It’s so easy to make, and perfect to enjoy anytime of the year!
I’m breaking this recipe into two parts: making macaroni and cheese from scratch, then creating and frying the balls.
A yummy plate of fried macaroni and cheese balls.
Part 1: Macaroni & Cheese
What You’ll Need:
½ cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
½ cup smoked gouda cheese
½ cup swiss cheese
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tbsp butter
2 cups half & half
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dry mustard
1 lb dried pasta of your choice
Step 1: Begin to boil your pasta in water for about 4 minutes. You want it undercooked because it will continue cooking in the fryer when you make your balls.
Pro Tip: Season your pasta water with salt before adding in your pasta! Use about a teaspoon per 1 lb of pasta.
Step 2: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium/high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, being adding in the flour gradually. Also, whisk quickly so that it forms a paste. This should cook for about 1 minute to get the “raw” flour taste out.
Step 3: Then begin adding in your half & half, while continuing to whisk removing any lumps - you want this mixture nice and smooth. You will notice that it’ll begin to thicken as you whisk in the half & half. Continue this process for about 3-5 minutes.
Pro Tip: Season your mixture - salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, and onion powder are your friend for this sauce!
Step 4: Add in all of your cheese gradually and stir it in slowly.
Pro Tip: Add in a variety of cheese to give your sauce a nice balance - or just use your favorite cheese!
Step 5: Once your sauce is good to go, toss in your macaroni and ensure each piece is covered in the cheese sauce.
Normally once this step is complete, I begin the baking process for my macaroni and cheese, but for this recipe, we are going a different route!
Step 6: Transfer the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture to a baking dish and place in the fridge immediately. You’ll want this to be cool in order to begin forming the balls.
Pro Tip: Keep the dish in the fridge for about 6 hours - this will be long enough for the cheese and noodles to solidify.
Part 2: Creating the Fried Macaroni & Cheese Balls
What You’ll Need:
All-purpose flour
Seasoned panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Canola Oil
Chives (optional for garnish)
Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (optional for garnish)
Step 1: Upon removing the dish of mac and cheese from the fridge, begin setting up your workstation. Organize 4 dishes for the following items:
Seasoned all-purpose flour (mix the flour with all of the seasonings listed above)
Egg and water mixture
Seasoned panko breadcrumbs
Resting place for the breaded mac and cheese balls
Pro Tip: Keeping an organized workspace helps with the perfect assembly of this dish.
Step 2: Begin scooping the mac and cheese by hand and forming them into balls. Once you have hand rolled each ball, dip them one by one into the seasoned flour, then the egg and water mixture, and finally the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. Repeat this until you have dipped each ball.
Pro Tip: Place each breaded fried mac and cheese ball onto parchment paper, that way the breading sticks to the ball and does not fall off.
Step 3: After all of the mac and cheese balls are breaded, I do recommend storing them in the freezer overnight, or at minimum 8 hours.
Pro Tip: Placing them in the freezer will help ensure that the breading does not fall off during the frying process.
Step 4: Once your mac and cheese balls have sat in the freezer for the preferred amount of time, prepare your canola oil, and ensure that it heats up to 400 degrees.
Step 5: Begin placing your balls into the pot or fryer, for about 6-8 minutes. You’ll see when they are ready as the panko breadcrumbs have a golden color on them.
Step 6: Let the balls cool for about 4 minutes, then plate, and garnish with chives, sea salt, as well as grated parmesan cheese.
Step 7: Serve, share, and enjoy!
The finished product - fried macaroni and cheese balls, garnished with chives and parmesan cheese
XO, Analise