Creamy Oven Fried Mac And Cheese Bites Recipes

MAC AND CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan (I used a 3 quart), melt butter over medium to medium-low heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 3 minutes, until thickened and nutty. This is called a roux.
• Gradually, add the milk, stirring until there are no lumps. Increase heat to medium and bring to a light simmer, whisking. It will thicken up.
• Add the cheese and stir until melted and incorporated. Stir in the cooked pasta. Let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Form 1.5 inch balls with the cold mac and cheese, pressing to make them compact. Lay them on a sheet pan and put it back in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Note: they need to stay a bit cold (but not frozen) so they retain their shape well.
• Prepare your breading station: In a shallow bowl, add the flour. Then, in a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, Italian bread crumbs, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• Get the oil ready: Heat the vegetable oil (3 to 4 inches deep, or enough for the mac and cheese bites to fully submerge) in a deep large Dutch oven until the oil's temperature reaches 360 to 375 degrees F. Tip: Use a candy thermometer to measure the oil's temperature.
• While the oil is heating, assemble the mac and cheese bites: coat each ball in flour first, then the whisked eggs, and then the bread crumb mixture. Press slightly to make sure the bread crumbs adhere well.
• Deep fry: Fry in small batches for about 3 minutes or until evenly golden brown. Tip: every time you add food into the oil, the temperature drops. Increase the heat to get it back closer to 360-375 degrees F.
• Transfer to a large plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

FRIED MACARONI-AND-CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until al dente according to package instructions; drain.
• In pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is pale golden and has a nutty aroma, about 4 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add milk. Cook, whisking along bottom of pot, until boiling, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the mustard powder, and cheese. Stir until melted and sauce is smooth; season with salt. Add macaroni to sauce, and stir to combine.
• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment; brush parchment lightly with oil. Spread macaroni mixture evenly in dish. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours.
• Invert set macaroni and cheese onto a cutting board and remove parchment. Cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife.
• Whisk eggs in a shallow dish. In a shallow dish, season panko with salt. Dip macaroni squares, a few at a time, in eggs, allowing excess to drip off into dish, then roll in panko mixture to coat completely. Transfer to a wire rack set on a baking sheet.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium until shimmering. Working in batches, add coated squares in a single layer (do not crowd pan); cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are crisp and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined rack to drain and cool slightly. Wipe skillet clean. Repeat process with more oil and remaining squares. Serve warm.

FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BALLS

Steps:

• Fill a pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 7 minutes. Drain. Stir in the 2 tablespoons butter, the 1/4 cup milk, and the cheese packet from the package.
• While the macaroni is still hot, stir in the Cheddar cheese, pimento cheese spread, and Italian cheese blend, and continue to stir until melted. Place the macaroni and cheese mixture in a container and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the macaroni mixture from the refrigerator, and, using a cookie scoop, scoop into balls. Place mac balls on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk the bread crumbs with the paprika, chili powder, black pepper, sugar, and cayenne in a shallow dish; set aside. Beat the eggs with the 3 tablespoons milk in a small bowl. Remove the mac balls from the freezer, coat in the egg wash, and then dredge in breading.
• Fry the mac balls in small batches until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain briefly on a paper towel-lined plate; serve hot.

CREAMY OVEN-FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°. Brush the cups of three 12-cup mini cupcake pans with the melted butter. Then sprinkle each tin with breadcrumbs and shake the pan, tilting to coat with breadcrumbs.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the béchamel: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until very lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the mustard and paprika.
• While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, a small handful at a time, stirring until the cheese is melted before adding the next addition. (You should have 2½ cups cheese sauce.) Remove from the heat and stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then scrape the mac and cheese into the eggs and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Mound about 2 rounded tablespoons of the mac and cheese mixture into each cup of the prepared cupcake pan.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and the bites are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the tins. Run a knife around the outside of each bite before removing it. Serve warm or at room temperature with hot sauce on the side, if desired.

FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; simmer, whisking often, until mixture is slightly thickened and lightly coats back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, stirring constantly until cheeses melt and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in macaroni (mixture will be thick).
• Spread mixture evenly in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly on surface; chill until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a large Dutch oven; heat over medium-high to 350°F. Meanwhile, scoop 1 portion macaroni mixture into your hands using a 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) scoop, and roll into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat process with remaining macaroni mixture. (You'll have 36 balls total.)
• Whisk together eggs and water in a shallow dish. Place panko in a second shallow dish, and place remaining 1/3 cup flour in a third shallow dish. Working with 1 ball at a time, dredge in flour, and shake off excess. Roll ball in egg mixture; let excess drip off. Roll in panko, pressing to adhere. Return ball to baking sheet. (Balls can be loosely covered with plastic wrap, and chilled until ready to fry, up to 30 minutes.)
• Fry macaroni balls in 6 to 8 batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown on outside and hot and melted on inside, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain. Serve immediately.