Name: Air Fried Mac and Cheese Balls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Ingredients: 4 cups (600g) leftover mac and cheese; 2 eggs (beaten); 2 cups (300g) seasoned bread crumbs

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Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls are the ultimate comfort food! And just 3 ingredients are all that’s needed to whip up this totally crave-worthy appetizer, snack, or side. Instructions for making Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Balls also included.

Suitable for vegetarian diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

a batch of air fried mac and cheese balls ready to be served

Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls have become a true family favorite in our house. The kiddos always love it when mac and cheese is on the dinner menu. But now we have something they love even more.

Yeap. I’ve taken their favorite creamy and dreamy comfort food recipe to a whole new level.

Air Fried Mac and Cheese Balls are everything we love about mac and cheese, transformed into perfectly crunchy, bite-size finger food. #amazeballs

This recipe is suuuuch a great way to use up those holiday leftovers. Like your Air Fryer Mac and Cheese or creamy dreamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese and even Pumpkin Mac and Cheese.

When your family gets tired of eating the same ol’ leftovers from your holiday feast, get creative and make what’s old seem new again by serving these delicious balls of fried mac and cheese.

Love leftovers? Then try this Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes made on the stove top or Air Fryer .

This delectable air fried appetizer is such a huge hit in my house, it has found a permanent spot on our game day menu. And because it’s easy to make with just 3 simple ingredients, I don’t mind a bit.

And folks, not only do I have the best Air Fryer Mac n Cheese Balls recipe, I’ve got my Instant Pot peeps covered with all you need to know to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Balls too! Let’s grab our ingredients so I can show you…..

How To Make Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls

Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Chill the leftover mac and cheese (or freshly made, if no leftovers available) in the fridge for 3 hrs.
Scoop out a portion of the mac and cheese, roll and form it into a ball. This should make about 16 mac n cheese balls. Freeze the balls for 30 mins while you preheat your Air Fryer to 360F / 182C.
Taking one ball at a time, dip and roll in the egg, then dredge through the bread crumbs. Make sure the entire ball gets well coated. Continue until all of the macaroni cheese balls are covered.
Carefully place the mac and cheese balls in the Air Fryer, making sure that they don’t touch each other. F
Fry for 10-12 mins, until golden. You don’t need to worry about turning them halfway through. Depending on the size of your Air Fryer, this will probably need to be done in batches.

image collage showing the steps for making air fryer mac and cheese balls

Chef’s Tip: Air Fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting with less cook time, checking for doneness and then adding more time as needed.

How To Make Instant Pot Mac snd Cheese Balls

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Assemble the mac and cheese balls, following steps 1-3 above.
Put the Instant Pot Air Fryer Basket into the Instant Pot and add the mac and cheese balls.
Lock the Air Fryer Lid, Select air fryer function, set to 350F / 180C for 16-18 mins, and press start.
Cook until done, at which point they should be golden and cooked through.
Open the lid, remove the mac and cheese balls and serve.

Oven Baked

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place Mac and Cheese balls on the tray with space between them and back for 10 minutes. Then flip and bake for a further 7- 10 minutes until golden

How Do You Deep Fry Mac and Cheese Balls?

No air fryer? No problem! You can easily deep fry mac n cheese balls. Just follow these steps:

As directed, use leftover mac and cheese (or make fresh if no leftovers are available), that has been chilled for 3 hours.
Roll into balls, coat with egg, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Freeze the mac and cheese balls for 30 minutes before frying.
Heat oil in a large saucepan or a deep fryer to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Gently place balls into hot oil and fry in small batches for 2-5 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove from oil and place on paper towel-lined plate to drain.

instant pot mac and cheese balls inside the instant pot

How To Preheat Air Fryer

The cook time listed in this recipe does not include the time needed for preheating your air fryer, so you will want to allow a few extra mins for your air fryer to preheat.

But are you wondering how to do this if your model does not have a preheat setting? Just set it to the desired temperature, and run the empty air fryer for 3-5 mins. Easy Peasy!

Recipe Tips

Make sure you’re using a firmer mac and cheese for your Air Fryer / Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Balls. You don’t want to use leftovers with a runny cheese sauce.
Make sure to chill the mac and cheese for at least 3 hours (or even overnight) so it will easily hold its shape when forming into balls.
Do NOT let the balls touch each other inside the air fryer basket. Cook them in batches to allow plenty of room so you don’t end up with one big blob of air fried mac and cheese.

cooked mac and cheese balls inside the air fryer

FAQs

Can You Use Store Bought Already Made Mac and Cheese?

Don’t have any homemade leftover macaroni and cheese to use? You can make this recipe using store-bought pre-made mac and cheese. Just be sure you chill it before forming into balls.

Veggie Mac and Cheese Balls

One of the best things about air fried mac and cheese balls is that they are healthier than the traditional deep fried versions.

But if you’re looking for a way to make them even more healthy, try adding in some veggies. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and kale are all great options.

Just make sure to chop the veggies into small chunks and mix in to the mac and cheese before chilling. This is such a great way to get some extra veggies servings in for the kiddos…..and I bet they won’t even notice!

What Other Fried Mac and Cheese Variations Can You Make?

In addition to mixing in veggies, you can flavor your mac and cheese balls in many other ways. Here are just a a few mix-in suggestions to try:

Spices like nutmeg, smoked paprika and allspice.
Dried herbs such as oregano, basil and parsley.
Cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce for those who like some heat.
Crumbled bacon (for the non-vegetarians)..

a bowl filled with air fried mac and cheese balls

What Kind of Bread Crumbs Should I Use?

Go ahead and make life easy by using store-bought bread crumbs to make your mac n cheese balls. I used lemon pepper bread crumbs that I picked up at the local market. Some other amaaaaazing options to use include:

Panko bread crumbs
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Gluten Free breadcrumbs
Crushed potato chips or tortilla chips (soooo good!)

You can also make your own homemade breadcrumb mixture, which is so easy to do! Check out my air fryer chicken tenders recipe for a bread crumb topping recipe that is absolutely delicious!

Serving Suggestions

Air Fryer Hot Dogs.
Best ever Air Fryer Hamburger. – Loved by everyone
Crispy yet juicy Air Fryer Whole Chicken.
Easy Air Fryer Ham.
Cucumber Tomato Salad.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Tater Tots. Loved by the whole family
Easy and delish Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Air Fryer Green Beans
And, learn how to make fried mac and cheese the original way with this creamy and delicious Air Fryer Mac and Cheese recipe.
Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin.
Air Fryer Butternut Squash.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 4 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my Air Fryer and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Balls recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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4.34 from 6 votes