These baked breaded macaroni and cheese bites are the perfect way to enjoy any leftover macaroni and cheese. The macaroni is coated in a breadcrumb mixture before being baked in the oven until crisp on the outside. They are a bite-sized snack that both kids and adults will love.
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Instructions
Use leftover 4 cups homemade macaroni and cheese. (Use my Mac and Cheese recipe.)
Make sure that your leftover mac n cheese is nice and cold and set up (refrigerated for at least 12 hours). If needed, you can also freeze the macaroni just a bit before portioning out to coat with breading.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper. Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a basting brush to coat the parchment paper-lined baking sheet(s).
In a small bowl, whisk the 2 Large eggs until well combined. Use a second bowl for the ¾ cup all-purpose flour and then a third small bowl to combine the breading ingredients: crushed ¾ cup Italian seasoned croutons, ¾ cup Italian seasoned Panko, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
Using a table spoon, portion out large (approximately 1- 1 ½ inch) chunks of the leftover macaroni and cheese. Quickly roll in your palms to shape into a rough ball shape, then dip into the flour, then the egg mixture, and next into the breading mixture. Coat thoroughly and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of your macaroni and cheese has been breaded.
Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 10-12 minutes, then brush over the baking sheet with the second 1 tablespoon of 2 tablespoon olive oil. Roll the breaded macaroni and cheese balls over to bake the opposite side for an additional 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.