Cereal Thriller
Deep-Fried Mac and Cheese Balls in a Cheerios Crunch Crust
30 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalianNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
If you ever wondered what would happen if Italian comfort food raided the breakfast aisle, behold: ultra-crunchy, gooey mac balls fried to deep golden glory. Tonight, you’ll learn to transform humble pantry staples into a dinner party trick worthy of applause.
Equipment needed
- deep fryer or heavy pot
- thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Prepare the boxed macaroni and cheese as directed on the package. Let cool to room temperature.
- 02Stir in the shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan. The extra cheese gives structure and maximum goo factor.
- 03Scoop out 1.5-tablespoon portions of the cheesy macaroni and roll into balls, pressing firmly. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes to firm.
- 04While the mac balls chill, pulse Cheerios in a food processor or seal in a zip bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have coarse crumbs, not dust.
- 05Set up your breading station: one bowl with flour mixed with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder; a second bowl with eggs beaten with milk; a third bowl with crushed Cheerios.
- 06Dredge each chilled mac ball in the seasoned flour, tap off excess, dip in the egg mixture, then roll generously in the Cheerios crumbs. Pat gently to adhere.
- 07Pour oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat to 350°F.
- 08Fry mac balls in batches, 4 to 5 at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined rack.
- 09Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- 10Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces: marinara, ranch, or honey mustard all play well.
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