Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 420 min
Yield: 6
Gooey, cheesy mac and cheese is delicious on its own—but have you ever tried deep-fried mac and cheese?
Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. You might think that turning it into bite-sized balls, rolling them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and frying them is too much work—but trust me, it’s totally worth it! The result is perfectly crispy on the outside and soft, gooey, and cheesy on the inside.
Just follow the recipe step by step, and you'll be good to go.
For the Mac and cheese:
3 cups uncooked Elbow Macaroni
1 1/2 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half Cream
1 cup shredded Old Cheddar Cheese Block
2/3 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 tablespoons Flour
1/2 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
For Frying:
3 Eggs
4 tablespoons Whole Milk
1 1/2 cup flour
2 cups Italian Seasoned Panko Bread Crumbs
Vegetable Oil for frying
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 7 minutes or per package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. Mix all the shredded cheese together and set aside as well.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to create a roux, cooking until bubbly. While whisking, add the milk and cream. Season with salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and mix in about half of your cheese. Fold in macaroni, then stir in the remaining cheese.
Spread mac and cheese onto a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover the top with plastic wrap immediately. Let it cool down for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for about 6 hours or overnight.
Use a cookie scoop to spoon out about 3 tablespoons of the mixture at a time and shape into 2- to 3-inch balls.
Whisk eggs with 4 tablespoons of milk. Roll the macaroni balls into the flour, then dip them into the egg mixture and after that coat in the bread crumbs.
Place all the coated macaroni balls on a baking tray and place them in the freeze until they are all made and ready to fry.
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 360ÅãF (180ÅãC). Gently place 3 to 4 mac and cheese balls into the oil at a time and fry for 3-4 minutes per batch, until golden.
Drain Briefly on a paper towel lined plate.
Serve hot & enjoy.
