Description
Delicious fried mac and cheese bites served with a flavorful sweet basil marinara sauce. These crispy, cheesy bites are a perfect appetizer or snack for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Mac & Cheese Squares:
- 454 grams Elbow Macaroni
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 1/2 cups Evaporated Milk (1- 354 ml can)
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1–2 cups Vegetable Oil for frying
Sweet Basil Marinara Sauce:
- 28 oz Diced Tomatoes, canned, drained and slightly blended
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Breading:
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch
- 3 Eggs
- 1/4 cup Water
- 3 cups Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- To make the mac & cheese squares: In a large pot, combine elbow macaroni, chicken stock, and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil, cook until noodles are fully cooked. Add cheeses, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until set.
- Sweet Basil Marinara Sauce: Blend tomatoes, brown sugar, olive oil, basil, and salt. Cook until thickened, then refrigerate.
- Breading: Set up 3 shallow bowls with flour/cornstarch, eggs/water, and panko/garlic powder/salt.
- Breading the Mac & Cheese Bites: Cut set mac and cheese into squares. Dip in flour mixture, then egg mixture, and finally panko mixture. Fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Notes
- To expedite the setting process of the macaroni and cheese, cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then transfer to the freezer for an additional 30-45 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
