Mac and Cheese Bites
Crispy outside. Molten cheese inside. A dipping sauce that sounds weird but isn’t. That’s these mac and cheese bites.
If you’re looking for a from-scratch gourmet mac and cheese recipe, there are some really beautiful ones out there and I respect that deeply.
This is more in the direction of I-have-leftover-mac-and-cheese-and-a-party-tomorrow practical. Cheesy and crunchy and a little fun, the kind of snack that disappears before you’ve even sat down.
Ingredients
For the mac and cheese:
- 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked (100g)
- 1 tbsp butter (14g)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (8g)
- 3/4 cup warm milk (180ml)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (113g)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For breading and frying:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, panko works best (90g)
- Oil, for deep frying
- Chopped parsley, optional for garnish
For the dipping sauce:
- 150g Greek yogurt (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 tbsp French mustard (15g)
- 1 tsp olive oil (5ml)
- Chopped cilantro, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Do It
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Boil salted water and cook your macaroni until it’s just al dente. You don’t want it too soft, since it’s going to sit in the warm sauce for a little bit. Drain it and just set it aside for now.
Step 2: Make the Cheese Sauce
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Throw in the flour and whisk it for about a minute, that step gets rid of the raw flour taste. Pour the warm milk in little by little while you keep whisking, and stir until it thickens up some. Take it off the heat, stir in all the cheddar, and season with salt and pepper. Using warm milk instead of cold straight from the fridge really does help keep it smooth and lump-free, just microwave it for 30 seconds or so before adding.
Step 3: Mix and Refrigerate
Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce until everything is all mixed together. Pour it into a container and put it in the fridge for at least two hours. It needs to get firm enough that you can actually shape it, and if you try to skip this step it will just fall apart in your hands. I learned that the hard way.
Step 4: Shape the Bites
Once the mixture is cold and firm, scoop it out and roll it into balls about 1.5 inches across, roughly the size of a big walnut. Pack each one tightly so it holds together. This makes somewhere between 20 and 24 bites depending on how big your scoops are. If the mix keeps sticking to your hands, just wet them a little with cold water and it helps a lot.
Step 5: Bread the Bites
Set up three bowls, one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs. Roll each ball in the flour first, then dip it in the egg, then coat it in breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are really worth it if you can find them at your store, they make the outside so much crunchier than regular ones.
Step 6: Make the Dipping Sauce
Combine the yogurt, mustard, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir it until smooth. Taste it and adjust to your liking, more mustard if you want it sharper, more cilantro if you love it. You can make this part ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you need it.
Step 7: Fry
Heat the oil up to 350°F (175°C), a thermometer is really helpful here. If you don’t have one, just drop a tiny bit of breadcrumb in and if it sizzles right away you’re good to go. Fry the bites in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn golden brown. Don’t crowd them all in at once because the oil temperature drops and they soak up too much oil and get greasy instead of crispy. Drain them on paper towels when they come out.
Step 8: Serve
Scatter some chopped parsley on top if you’re feeling it, and serve them hot with the dipping sauce right next to them.
Hot is really the key word here, the cheese inside is at its best when it’s still all melty and wonderful, so don’t let them sit too long!
Mac and Cheese Bites
Ingredients
For the Mac and Cheese
- 1 cup elbow macaroni uncooked (100 g)
- 1 tbsp butter 14 g
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 8 g
- ¾ cup warm milk 180 ml
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 113 g
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Breading and Frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 g
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs panko preferred (90 g)
- Oil for deep frying
- Chopped parsley optional for garnish
For the Sauce
- 150 g Greek yogurt about ⅔ cup
- 1 tbsp French mustard 15 g
- 1 tsp olive oil 5 ml
- Chopped cilantro to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil macaroni in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to shape.
- Scoop and roll chilled mac and cheese mixture into 1.5-inch (4 cm) balls.
- Coat each ball in flour, dip in beaten eggs, then roll in breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, mustard, olive oil, cilantro, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry bites in batches for 2–3 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot with dipping sauce.
