Air fryer recipe · Kids
Mac and Cheese Balls
Creamy macaroni rolled into crunchy crumbed balls that turn leftovers into a treat.
- 24 minTotal time
- 185°CAir fryer
- 6Serves
- VegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 300kcal
- 13.6 gprotein
- 24.4 gcarbs
- 16.5 gfat
- 0.8 gfibre
Per serving, about 6 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Cooked macaroni2 cups
- Cheese sauce3/4 cup
- Grated cheddar1/2 cup
- Bread crumbs1.5 cups
- Corn flour slurry1/2 cup
Method
Make creamy mac
Stir the cooked macaroni with the cheese sauce and grated cheddar until every piece is coated. The mix should be thick and clingy rather than runny, so the balls stay packed and do not ooze apart while cooking.
Chill firm
Spread the mac in a tray and refrigerate it for thirty minutes until firm and scoopable. Cold, set mac holds together and rolls into neat balls, while warm mac is loose and slides apart in your hands.
Roll into balls
Scoop the chilled mac and press each portion into a firm, round ball. Compact them well between your palms so they stay tight and do not loosen or burst open once the heat hits them.
Crumb coat
Dip each ball in the corn flour slurry, then roll it in the bread crumbs until fully covered. A second pass through slurry and crumbs builds an extra-crunchy shell that seals the soft centre inside.
Air-fry till crisp
Spray the balls with oil and space them out in the basket. Air-fry at 185°C for 12 min, turning gently halfway, until golden and crunchy all over and hot and melting in the middle.
