Perfectly crispy and cheesy fried macaroni with a flavorful breadcrumb topping. Take one bite of these fried mac and cheese balls and you'll be in heaven!
Cook macaroni according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
In a pan, melt the butter over medium-heat and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add in warmed milk and stir to get rid of lumps. Cook until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add in cheese, stir until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour cheese over macaroni and stir to combine.
Pour into a shallow pan and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Form macaroni and cheese into balls using a cookie or ice cream scoop. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze overnight, or until cold and firm.
Mix together egg and 1 Tablespoon milk to make a wash in a shallow bowl. Mix breadcrumbs and seasoning together and place in a shallow bowl. Dip macaroni and cheese balls into egg wash and then cover with breadcrumb mixture.
Heat oil in a large pot to 350°F and fry macaroni and cheese balls until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn them halfway to evenly brown.
Remove and set on baking sheet lined with paper towels. Enjoy while warm with marinara!
Notes
Be sure your oil isn’t too hot so they don’t cook too fast. You want them to heat through so you don’t end up with frozen mac & cheese in the middle!