By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 4
708 cal · 25 min
Mac and Cheese Bombs
Recipe GLPR187690cdbdf79b
Crispy golden-fried bites bursting with creamy mac and cheese and melted cheese centers, studded with crispy bacon. These savory croquettes are perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or indulgent snack.
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Ingredients
1 pound Cooked bacon
½ cup All-purpose flour
2 cups Cooked mac and cheese
Oil for frying
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
4 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
Directions
Finely crumble the cooked bacon into breadcrumb-sized pieces using a food processor or by hand. In a medium bowl, combine the prepared mac and cheese, flour, and crumbled bacon, stirring until evenly blended. Pour the Panko breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl and set aside.
Using about 1 tablespoon of the mac and cheese mixture at a time, roll it into a ball with your hands. Press one cube of Velveeta cheese into the center of each ball, then carefully pinch and seal the mixture around it so the cheese is completely enclosed. Roll each sealed ball in the Panko breadcrumbs until fully coated, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Place the coated bombs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the oil.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 350–360°F. Once the oil reaches temperature, carefully place one mac and cheese bomb into the hot oil. Fry for 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden and crispy on all sides. Remove with the slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining bombs, frying them one at a time to maintain oil temperature.
Allow the bombs to cool for 1–2 minutes until they are safe to handle but still hot and melty inside. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately while the cheese centers are warm and creamy.
Comments
This is a fast, cheap dish that hits hard on comfort food: bacon and Velveeta hit every Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger in Charlotte, and panko is standard everywhere. The 25-minute timer is honest if you start with boxed mac and cheese, though you'll need five extra minutes to cool the mixture before forming and frying the bombs. At roughly $1.50 per serving for four, it's a weeknight win. The real caveat is that these are a same-night dish—they're crispy fresh and turn soggy by the next day—so don't count on leftovers, and the constant attention to the frying pan means this is not a set-it-and-forget-it dinner.
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