Fried Mac & Cheese Bites with Sweet Basil Marinara
These mac and cheese bites are essentially they are the epitome of comfort food and they are about to be your newest favourite appetizer!
Servings: 24 squares
Calories: 270kcal
Ingredients
- 454 grams Elbow Macaroni
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 ½ cups Evaporated Milk 1- 354 ml can
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1-2 cups Vegetable Oil for frying
Sweet Basil Marinara Sauce
- 28 oz Diced Tomatoes canned, drained and slightly blended
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Breading
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- 3 Eggs
- ¼ 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 the elbow macaroni, chicken stock, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, cook for 8-10 minutes or until the noodles are fully cooked, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, paprika, black pepper, and salt into the pot with the macaroni and stir until all of the cheese is melted and fully combined.
- Line a 15x10 baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the macaroni onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Refrigerate until it is fully set, about 2 hours*.
Sweet Basil Marinara Sauce
- For the canned diced tomatoes, drain off the excess water and use an immersion blender to slightly blend the tomatoes, leaving some small chunks of tomato.
- In a medium sized pan combine the tomatoes, brown sugar, extra virgin olive oil, basil, and salt.
- Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Lower heat to a simmer and let cook until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and refrigerate until cold.
Breading
- To set up the breading station, you will need 3 separate shallow bowls.
- In the first bowl combine the flour and cornstarch, stir to combine.
- In the second bowl combine the eggs and water, whisk to combine.
- In the third bowl combine the panko, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Stir to combine.
Breading the Mac & Cheese Bites
- After the mac and cheese is set, flip onto a cutting board and peel off the parchment paper.
- Cut into 24 squares.
- Dip the mac and cheese bites into the flour and cornstarch mixture first, then into the egg mixture, and finish in the panko mixture. Turning to fully coat each square.
- Place on a piece of parchment paper and repeat step 3 until all of the mac and cheese bites are breaded.
- In a large frying pan add 1 cup of the vegetable oil, heat over medium heat until the vegetable oil is hot.
- Carefully place the breaded mac and cheese bites into the oil and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Do not crowd the pan, fry the bites in batches, adding more oil if necessary.
- Transfer the mac and cheese bites to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with a side of sweet basil marinara sauce.
Notes
*To expedite the setting process of the macaroni and cheese, let it cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then transfer to the freezer for an additional 30-45 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 2mg
