Crispy and deliciously gooey, Mac and Cheese Balls are a mouth-watering appetizer made with homemade mac and cheese and fried to perfection!
Homemade Mac and Cheese Balls are loaded with comforting mac and cheese, encased in a crispy fried breadcrumb coating, and are the perfect appetizer to serve when hosting a dinner or any get-together! Grab all your mac and cheese fixings and heat the fryer to make these cheesy bites that taste amazing with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce!
The Best Mac and Cheese Bite!
What’s the best way to enjoy your favorite dish as an appetizer at a party? To roll it into balls, give it a crunchy coating, and fry it, of course! Everyone loves the gooey, comforting cheese-and-pasta combo that is mac and cheese, but now you can serve it as an appetizer at dinner parties and be everyone’s hero. Fried mac and cheese balls take a little time to make, but are so worth it once you take a bite, and they’re the perfect way to use up leftover mac and cheese since you have to chill the mac and cheese anyway!
Delight the crowd with more irresistible, crispy, cheesy bites, like Cheesy Mexican Rice Balls, that have a great kick, or delicious Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli!
Other Recipes to Serve with Mac and Cheese Balls
- Wow, a crowd with mouthwatering Green Chili Mac and Cheese, or use leftovers to make bold-flavored mac and cheese balls!
- Perfect for a casual dinner party or any get-together, White Peach Sangria is a crowd-pleasing drink that is simple to make!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients: To make the mac and cheese for these balls, you will need elbow pasta and all-purpose flour, along with a block of cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. Grating a block of cheese will give you a more melty mac and cheese and is a much better option than pre-shredded cheese.
Wet Ingredients: You will also need salted butter and warmed milk for this dish.
Seasoning: Set out garlic powder, salt, and white pepper for this mac and cheese.
Dredging: To get that great, crispy outside, you will need breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, and oil to fry the mac and cheese balls. Vegetable oil is a good choice, or go with your favorite oil.
How to Make Mac and Cheese Balls
STEP ONE: Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. Rinse the pasta in cold water, drain, and set aside. Add butter to a large pot and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for a few minutes, then add half of the warmed milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, followed by the remaining half of the milk. Whisk constantly and bring the mixture to a low boil.
STEP TWO: Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat. Fold the cheese into the milk mixture, and once melted, fold in the pasta.
STEP THREE: Spread the mac and cheese in a casserole dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, take the mac and cheese out of the fridge, form mac and cheese balls by scooping 3 tablespoons of mac and cheese for each, and place the balls on a baking sheet. Fill a deep-sided pan with oil and heat it to 325 degrees F.
STEP FOUR: Add breadcrumbs to one shallow bowl and whisk together milk and eggs in another shallow bowl. Coat the mac and cheese ball in the egg mixture, roll it in the breadcrumbs, coat it in the egg mix again, and then roll it through the breadcrumbs once more.
STEP FIVE: Fry the mac and cheese balls in batches for about 7 minutes, until they are golden brown. Set the fried balls on a paper towel-lined plate and then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Tips for Success
- Using homemade mac and cheese is the best way to make these balls. If you have a recipe you swear by, feel free to use it in this recipe and follow the instructions for making the fried balls. This is also a great way to use leftover mac and cheese.
- To make these balls ahead of time, you can make the mac and cheese the night before. Once you have made the balls, you can stick them in the freezer overnight, and when you are ready to fry them, you can dredge and fry the mac and cheese balls without even thawing the balls first!
- Plain or Italian breadcrumbs are great ot use in this recipe, as are crushed crackers or panko breading. Use what you have on hand or prefer.
- Store leftover mac and cheese balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the fried mac and cheese balls for up to two months. To reheat them, place the balls on a baking sheet or in an air fryer basket, then bake or air-fry at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. When cooking from frozen, add 5 minutes to the reheating time.
How do you get mac and cheese balls to stick together?
The key to getting mac and cheese balls to stick together is to chill them thoroughly before coating and frying. Consider the two hours in the fridge as the minimum amount of time needed to firm the mac and cheese. When you scoop the mac and cheese to make the balls, it should be firm enough not to fall apart- if it does, then you know it’s not ready and needs to go back into the fridge. This is why making the mac and cheese ahead of time is a great idea, or using leftover mac and cheese.
What dipping sauce goes with mac and cheese balls?
The most popular dipping sauce for mac and cheese balls is, without a doubt, marinara sauce. The light seasoned tomato sauce is so delicious with the cheesy pasta, but there are plenty of other favorites too! Alfredo, ranch, rosa sauce, pizza sauce, and blue cheese dressing are also tasty options to serve with these bites. For a bold flavor, consider BBQ sauce or buffalo sauce. Set out a few options for everyone to enjoy and mix and match flavors!
More Incredible Bites to Enjoy!
- Homemade Corn Dog Bites
- Bacon Jalapeno Popper Pretzel Bites
- Loaded Tater Tot Bites
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Brown Sugar, Bacon, and Brie Crescent Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Mac and Cheese
- 6 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk warmed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
Dredge
- 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs or regular
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 6 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Marinara or Rosa sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet with deep sides (or a large pot) over medium heat. Then whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the warm milk (¼ cup at a time), whisking as you pour. Then whisk in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a low boil and cook until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until melted. Fold in the cooked pasta until fully incorporated. Then transfer to a shallow casserole dish and store in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Make 15 equal-sized balls (about 3 tablespoons). Place them on a baking sheet to freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight, until frozen through.
- When you're ready to fry the mac and cheese balls, place a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil (it should come up the sides about 2 inches) and bring to 325 degrees F.
- Set up the dredge station by adding thebreadcrumbs to a shallow plate/bowl. Bear the eggs and milk together in another shallow bowl. Roll the balls first in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs until well coated. Place the prepped balls on a plate until ready to fry.
- Working in batches of 5 (don't overcrowd the pot), fry the mac and cheese balls for 7 minutes. They will be golden brown, and the center will fully thaw and become melty. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining balls
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish, if desired. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce or enjoy as is.
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