Description
Indulge in these crispy fried homemade mac and cheese bites that are bursting with cheesy goodness and savory bacon flavors. Perfect for snacking or as a delightful appetizer!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bacon Mac and Cheese:
- 284 g bacon (approx. 14 strips)
- 227 g elbow macaroni
- 30 g bacon grease or unsalted butter
- 16 g all-purpose flour
- 270 ml milk
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 227 g sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 227 g Monterey Jack cheese shredded
For the Breading:
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 180 g seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Cook Bacon and Macaroni: Cook bacon until crispy, crumble it, and cook macaroni according to package instructions.
- Make Cheese Sauce: In a saucepan, melt bacon grease or butter, whisk in flour, then slowly add milk and spices. Stir in cheeses until melted.
- Combine Bacon, Macaroni, and Cheese: Mix cooked bacon and macaroni with cheese sauce, then refrigerate until firm.
- Bread and Fry: Cut the mac and cheese mixture into bites, coat in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then fry until golden brown.
Notes
- You can customize the seasonings and cheeses to suit your taste preferences.
- For a healthier version, consider baking the bites instead of frying them.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg