Garlic and Herb Mac n Cheese Bites

Garlic and Herb Mac n Cheese Bites

*This life-changing post may contain affiliate links, friend. Tap to learn more than you ever wanted to know.*


There are few things I love more than mac n cheese. I mean good, homemade, cheesy, saucy enough to still be creamy when baked, toasted bread crumbs…. Get in my belly.

Don’t give me that Kraft Mac n Cheese. I want this flavorful, garlicky, herbaceous kind anyday. Pretty much everyday.

So get this: you make that mac n cheese. (You know, the really creamy kind.)
Then you put it in time out in the fridge (probably for being TOO delicious).

You roll it into balls around a tiny little piece of cheese.
Roll in breadcrumbs.
And bake it until those bread crumbs are crispy and the little cheese cube melts in the middle for the most delicious molten lava-cheese center.
Maybe dip it in some spicy ranch. Devour. (This is worthy of being devoured.)

We served these little puppies (I mean, do they not kind of actually look like hush puppies?!) at a southern-themed shower recently and they were all the rage.

Southern comfort food? Check.
Reinvented into convenient-for-a-party finger food? Check.
Still gooey and delicious? Check. Check.


AuthorLiz A.DifficultyBeginner

Rock these fried, garlicky, herbaceous macaroni and cheese bites / balls loaded with butter, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, thyme, oregano & sage. Crispy, crunchy outside. Ooey-gooey inside. Yeah, you want that.

Yields8 Servings

Ingredients – mac n cheese bites
 8 oz macaroni noodles
 ¼ c butter
 ¼ c flour
 3 c whole milk
 5 cloves of garlic, minced
 1 Tbsp oregano
 ¼-½ tsp crushed red pepper
 1 tsp thyme
 1 tsp sage
 ¼ c chopped fresh rosemary
 Salt and pepper to taste
 1 c shredded mozzarella
 2 c shredded sharp cheddar
 8 oz block of cheddar cheese, cut into ½ in cubes
 3 c bread crumbs (plain is fine)
 3 Tbsp oregano
 1 Tbsp salt (or add to taste)
 2 Tbsp thyme
 2 tsp sage
 1 Tbsp garlic powder
 2 eggs
 ¼ c milk
Ingredients – spicy ranch sauce
 ½ c ranch dressing
 1-2 tsp hot sauce
 1 clove garlic

Directions & such
1

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.

2

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Once melted, whisk in flour to make a roux.

3

Once flour is completely incorporated and you no longer see any white from the flour, continue cooking for about 2 minutes.

4

Add the milk to the pan slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and incorporate it into the butter / flour roux.

5

Allow mixture to cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and spices. Continue cooking while whisking until the mixture thickens so that it coats the back of a spoon.

6

Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Pour sauce over noodles until they are coated. You may have slightly more sauce than you need.

7

Allow to cool to room temp, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.

8

Cut the block of cheese into cubes about ½ in. After refrigerating, scoop spoonfuls of mac n cheese about 3 Tbsp, stuff one cheese cube in the middle and roll into balls around the cheese cube.

9

Mix the bread crumbs and spices together in a shallow bowl or on a plate. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk.

10

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Dip each mac n cheese ball into the milk / egg mixture then roll in the breadcrumbs and place onto a greased baking sheet.

11

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

12

While they are baking, stir together the ingredients for the spicy ranch.

13

Serve warm.

Ingredients

Ingredients – mac n cheese bites
 8 oz macaroni noodles
 ¼ c butter
 ¼ c flour
 3 c whole milk
 5 cloves of garlic, minced
 1 Tbsp oregano
 ¼-½ tsp crushed red pepper
 1 tsp thyme
 1 tsp sage
 ¼ c chopped fresh rosemary
 Salt and pepper to taste
 1 c shredded mozzarella
 2 c shredded sharp cheddar
 8 oz block of cheddar cheese, cut into ½ in cubes
 3 c bread crumbs (plain is fine)
 3 Tbsp oregano
 1 Tbsp salt (or add to taste)
 2 Tbsp thyme
 2 tsp sage
 1 Tbsp garlic powder
 2 eggs
 ¼ c milk
Ingredients – spicy ranch sauce
 ½ c ranch dressing
 1-2 tsp hot sauce
 1 clove garlic

Directions

Directions & such
1

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.

2

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Once melted, whisk in flour to make a roux.

3

Once flour is completely incorporated and you no longer see any white from the flour, continue cooking for about 2 minutes.

4

Add the milk to the pan slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and incorporate it into the butter / flour roux.

5

Allow mixture to cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and spices. Continue cooking while whisking until the mixture thickens so that it coats the back of a spoon.

6

Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Pour sauce over noodles until they are coated. You may have slightly more sauce than you need.

7

Allow to cool to room temp, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.

8

Cut the block of cheese into cubes about ½ in. After refrigerating, scoop spoonfuls of mac n cheese about 3 Tbsp, stuff one cheese cube in the middle and roll into balls around the cheese cube.

9

Mix the bread crumbs and spices together in a shallow bowl or on a plate. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk.

10

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Dip each mac n cheese ball into the milk / egg mixture then roll in the breadcrumbs and place onto a greased baking sheet.

11

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

12

While they are baking, stir together the ingredients for the spicy ranch.

13

Serve warm.

Garlic and Herb Mac n Cheese Bites


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