Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (2024)

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About the Recipe If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Like These: Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe Ingredients Instructions More recipes you’ll love! “What should I make for dinner?” Reader Interactions Comments Rate & Comment FAQs References

Heidi 34 Comments

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A crunchy potato chip crust turns macaroni and cheese recipe into a hand held appetizer version of everyone’s favorite cheesy comfort food.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (2)

This post is in partnership withKettle Brand Potato Chips

I know I’ve said it here on the blog before, but this recipe proves itbears repeating: My guydeserves a hand clap emoji 👏👏👏or 372 for being my secret weapon in the kitchen.

You know how they say the way to a man’s heart is through his belly? My husband’s journey usually starts when Iput a food challengein hisear that leads toa craving in his belly, andhe is off to the recipe-creating races. And that makes this lady’s heart beat-beat-beat-heart-beatwith luuuuv.

We’re quite the team.

This recipe is no different. Fried Macand Cheese Balls. Coated in potato chips? Yes sir. This is fingerfood at itsbest.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (3)

About the Recipe

With tailgate season in full gear and the holidays bearing down upon us, it’s that time of year to showoff some unique skills in the kitchen.To think outside of the box and straight from the bag.

The key to these crispy pasta cheese bombs is creating a crispy exterior to play foil to the creamy center. To get that extra crunchy shell, my husband keyed in on using Kettle Brand potato chips as the ultimate crunchy coating. They work really, really well for this recipe because they’re thicker and more substantial than other potato chips or bread crumbs, creating just the right crumb coat.

With this recipe, you can pick and choose any one of themany flavors of Kettle Brand potato chipstocoat the mac ‘n cheese, but we narrowed it down to the Buffalo Bleu and Pepperoncini flavored chips to pair well with the cheesy pasta.

No surprise here, we were right no point.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (4)

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (5)

To get the crunchy cheese ball party started, he made my recipe for The Best Homemade Mac ‘n Cheese, minus the bread crumb topping, and refrigerated it overnight so the macaroni and cheese would solidify and the balls would hold together while frying. He used a 1 ½-inch scoop like this one to make cheese balls and compacted them well, forming a nice round ball.

When preparingthe potato chips, he recommends crushing the chips finely with a rolling pin to get the most coverage when dredging. Then, he simply dipped the rounded cheese balls into the egg wash, then into the crushed chips, and into the 350 degree F bubbling canola oil they went, to cook for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Or 4 minutes if you like them a little more brown. He used a candy thermometer like this one to gauge his temperature and keep it steady.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (6)

When frying the balls, don’t overcrowd the pot or you’ll lower the temperature too much and the balls won’t get as crispy. Also, don’t use too big of a pot or you’ll need more oil and it will take longer to reheat the oil. We like this 4-quart pot for recipes like this.

Lastly, drain on paper towels and serve immediately. We delivered some to our neighbors, and even snacked on them later on the day too, and I’m here to say, they were still amazing even when at room temperature, too.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (7)
Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (8)

While these crunchy macaroni and cheese balls taste terrific without any dipping sauce, we both found ourselves shaking a dash or 32 of vinegary hot sauce on the hot little balls.

Why mess up such a good thing?

Because we’re always game inadding a little more fire to our already happy hearts.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (9)

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If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me onInstagramwith #foodiecrusheats.

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4.04 from 55 votes

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe

A crunchy potato chip crust turns macaroni and cheese into a hand held appetizer version of everyone's favorite cheesy comfort food.

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe baked macaroni and cheese or a 9 X 13 pan of your favorite recipe chilled and refrigerated overnight
  • 2 8.5 ounce Kettle Brand Potato Chips any flavor
  • 2-3 eggs
  • 6 cups canola or peanut oil

Instructions

  • Make the macaroni and cheese and refrigerate overnight.

  • Use a 1 ½-inch scoop or spoon out about 2 tablespoons macaroni and cheese and shape into 2-inch rounded balls, compressing lightly.

  • Place about 2 cups of each flavor of potato chips into their own gallon freezer bags and seal. Gently roll a rolling pin over the chips to crush into small flakes. Add more chips to the freezer bag and crush as long as it's manageable.

  • Pour the crushed chips into a shallow bowl or plate. In another shallow bowl, whisk the two eggs until smooth. Dip the rounded balls into the whisked egg then roll in the potato chips, firmly pressing the chips into the macaroni balls to create a solid crust. Repeat until you have about 10-12 balls.

  • Heat the oil in a deep 4-quart pot until the oil registers 350 degrees F on a candy or deep fry thermometer. Fry 6 cheese balls at a time for about 3 minutes 30 seconds or until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (11)

Hey, thanks for stopping by, make it a great day and make something good.

This post is sponsored by Kettle Brand. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Rate & Comment

  1. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (17)Bon gapetit

    Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (18)
    I had left over Mac but no breadcrumbs… so I made these and added an xtra cube of cheddar inside. Made it more of a ‘cheese bomb’. I didn’t have enough chips so I crushed up some croutons with my left over sour cream and onion chips. Amazing!

    Reply

  2. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (20)kemparaju

    There is a reason why I bought a Mac, it was not to be one of the cool kids that wanted the best of the best. No it was because of the music production I do on it. Hours and hours sitting in front of my Mac copying, pasting, moving, deleting, hour after hour just beating on my Mac in a endless assault to get my work done. That is the key part, my work. I work from home, it is great, but even if it is from home it is still work and it still needs to get done. So my Mac, I have it because it is fast, gets the job done and comes back for more.

    But what happens when it doesn’t want to do those things anymore?

    I move around massive amounts of information and yes even on the almighty Mac this can cause a problem after a while. Things fragment, programs get corrupted issues come up. My light speed Mac slows down to a crawl and all of the sudden I simply can not get any work done. Because I work from home there is no IT guy to call and ask to come fix it. No instead I have to figure out what is wrong. I am lucky, I did, but not after trying everything under the sun first and wasting countless hours looking for one program that can do what I needed instead of ten programs. One program to lead them all….okay that was a lame Lord of the rings reference, but that program was/is Detox My Mac. A simple to use program that did not just fix my issues, it put my Mac on overdrive again. A few clicks and my Mac was clean and ready to rock and roll again.

    Read more here:- http://detox-my-mac.com?vhbshygdf398432

    Reply

  19. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (37)Denise

    Damn girl and Heidi’s guy! This recipe looks killer, and I can definitely see some fried mac and cheese balls in my life soon! The only hard part is deciding on which chip to use!

    Reply

  20. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (38)Jennifer Brooks

    Hi Heidi, I love this fried balls recipe, it look so yummy. I will it a try and hope cooking this recipe at home is as easy as you shown us here :) Will let you know how it goes. Cheers!

    Reply

  22. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (40)Denisse | Le Petit Eats

    Your hubby is a genius for thinking of that potato chip crust, it takes these mac & cheese balls to a whole new level, especially because you can customize them with different crust flavors! Love it!

    Reply

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe | foodiecrush.com (2024)

FAQs

Why are my mac and cheese balls falling apart? ›

How do I keep my mac and cheese balls from falling apart? The addition of egg and flour is key here—they act as a sealant around the outside of the mac and cheese. You'll also want to make sure you're chilling your mac and cheese for a long enough period of time, at least 3 hours.

Read More ›
How do you reheat fried mac and cheese balls? ›

Reheat mac and cheese bites in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 400°F or in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes. It is not advised to reheat mac and cheese bites in the microwave. They'll turn soggy and may fall apart.

See More ›
What is cheese balls snack made of? ›

Cheese puffs, cheese curls, cheese balls, cheese ball puffs, cheesy puffs, or corn curls are a puffed corn snack, coated with a mixture of cheese or cheese-flavored powders. They are manufactured by extruding heated corn dough through a die that forms the particular shape.

Tell Me More ›
How do you keep cheese from separating in mac and cheese? ›

Always add the cheese off the heat. Grate it in advance, add it a bit at a time, whisking until it dissolves, then add more. Don'tget impatient and dump it all in at once. Adding cheese while the pan is on the heat tightens the proteins, which will make lumps in your sauce.

Tell Me More ›
How do you keep mac and cheese from getting mushy? ›

Instead of getting that perfect bite to balance out the ingredients, you're left with a soggy spoonful that resembles soup more than it does pasta. How can you avoid this major mac and cheese mistake? By cooking the noodles just until they're al dente.

Find Out More ›
Why does mac and cheese get oily when reheated? ›

Regardless of whether you choose to reheat your macaroni and cheese in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven, Zentner says to be careful of overheating, which he explains, "will cause the fats to separate and make things greasy."

View More ›
How do you keep mac and cheese moist when reheating? ›

If you cooked it on the stovetop, use it for reheating. For oven-baked mac and cheese, put it back in the oven. Add some milk. Add some moisture into the mac and cheese to get some of the sauciness back.

Get More Info Here ›
Why are cheese balls addicting? ›

Cheese contains casomorphins , a group of opiods that traverse the blood-brain barrier where they produce a mild feeling of pleasure by binding to dopamine receptors in the brain. Craving of this sensation is a definitional element of addiction.

Get More Info ›
Were cheese balls discontinued? ›

To celebrate, the company is giving away 350 canisters of Cheez Powder to customers tweeting about the foods they want to pair this new topping with. Cheez Balls were first discontinued in 2006 and were temporarily brought back in July 2018.

Discover More ›
Why is my cheese ball crumbly? ›

When making cheese balls, not all cheeses are created equal. It's best to skip those very firm cheeses that require grating, like Parmesan, or others with dry, crumbly texture, like cotija. Because of their texture, these types of cheese don't blend as well to yield a smooth cheese ball.

Read The Full Story ›

How do you fix separated mac and cheese sauce? ›

Add a splash of the sauce's base liquid – if it's a milk-based sauce, for example, pour in a few teaspoons of cold milk. You may also add a splash of wine, beer or cream. Whisk the sauce vigorously for about 10 seconds; this may be enough to repair a cheese sauce that's just beginning to curdle.

Keep Reading ›
How do you keep mac and cheese from separating when reheating? ›

Pour about a tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese into the dish and mix well. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until it's heated through.

Read More ›

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