Buzz
As I savor my air-fried mac and cheese nuggets, the word 'Cheez-Its' keeps coming to mind. The crispy coating combined with the bold cheddar flavor is an uncanny match. I can't think of a quicker or more satisfying snack. Consider this an early Air Fryday treat.
Mac and cheese, like potatoes au gratin or oatmeal, contains a lot of starch. When cooled, the starches in these foods solidify and thicken, a process called retrogradation. This explains why leftover pasta tends to be so firm. Combine those cold, gelatinized starches with the fat in melted cheese, and you’ve got a firm block. You could take the time to form the macaroni into balls, coat them in breadcrumbs, and deep fry them to create fried mac and cheese balls. Or, you can opt for my shortcut. This method, while lazy, still delivers the same satisfying crunch without the hassle of breading.
A simple guide to making lazy mac and cheese bites.
This method works best if you’ve baked your mac and cheese in a casserole dish, as it’s already compact, but if your mac and cheese was stored in a bowl in the fridge, that works just as well. The shape doesn’t matter too much once you cut it into pieces.
Take the entire block of mac and cheese out of its container and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or serrated blade, slice the mac and cheese into 1-inch thick slabs. Rotate the slabs and cut them again into 1-inch wide sticks. You can then decide whether to cut them further into smaller sticks or cubes. Place the pieces in a preheated air fryer set to 400°F, ensuring there’s at least half an inch of space between them to prevent sticking together. Air fry the cubes for 8 minutes and the sticks for 10 minutes, or until they’re crispy and golden brown around the edges. Allow the mac and cheese bites to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before digging in.
Products worth considering:
Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer
Instant 4-Quart Air Fryer Oven
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
These delicious bites turn golden brown beautifully, and with the cheese already mixed in from the original recipe, there's no need to add anything extra to achieve that perfect crispy, frico-like outer layer. Even the pasta edges exposed to the air crisp up wonderfully. If you incorporated a generous amount of cheddar in your mix or topped your baked mac with it, you’ll get the unmistakable Cheez-It flavor I’m referring to.
The bites have a delightful crunch on the outside while remaining soft and tender on the inside. It's a great payoff for such little effort. These would be perfect for a party as appetizers since they’re easy to grab and enjoy. I prefer my mac and cheese bites plain, but I’d have no problem serving them at a gathering with a side of French onion dip.
