Description
Crispy fried macaroni and cheese balls made with creamy cheddar and Monterey Jack, smoky bacon, and a crunchy panko coating.
Ingredients
- Bacon
- Elbow macaroni
- Bacon grease or unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Fine sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Ground cayenne pepper
- Ground nutmeg
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- All-purpose flour for breading
- Eggs
- Seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Cook bacon until crisp and reserve 2 tablespoons of the grease
- Boil macaroni until just tender, drain, and cool
- Prepare a roux with bacon grease and flour
- Whisk in milk and seasonings and simmer until thick
- Stir in cheeses until melted
- Fold in macaroni and bacon
- Spread mixture into a lined pan and chill until firm
- Cut into squares or shape into balls
- Bread each piece with flour, egg, and panko
- Freeze briefly before frying
- Fry in hot oil until golden and crisp
Notes
- Use butter instead of bacon grease for a bacon-free version
- Mac and cheese can be made up to 3 days ahead
- Breaded bites can be frozen for up to 1 month and fried from frozen
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 156
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 257mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0.01g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 29mg