Cheap Party Food: Mexican Fried Mac and Cheese

Are you watching the futbol games? I am! I invited my brother, his wife, my cousins, and their kids to watch a game at my house. I love a good Mexican futbol party! I didn’t want to make the same foods- tostitos con salsa, frijoles, fruta picada. I needed something different that wasn’t going to break the bank. I’m on a single mom budget, and I like cheap party food. I got the inspiration I needed while on a trip to Walmart to make Mexican Fried Mac and Cheese Balls.

When I saw the Kraft Mac n Cheese, I thought of making Fried Mac and Cheese Balls but with a Mexican flare. Necesito sabores mexicanos en mi comida, and I know my Mexican family loves these flavors too. At $1.88, that’s some serious cheap party food. LOVE IT! Not only that, but they would go great with the traditional foods I normally serve at my futbol parties.

Make Kraft Mac n Cheese as directed on the box. Let it cool slightly before handling.

These Mexican Fried Mac and Cheese balls would be great to make with leftovers. I chopped them into little pedacitos because I wanted to be able to form the balls easily. You could totally skip this step and make bigger fried mac and cheese balls.

More Mexican Pasta Recipes:

• Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
• Sopa de Pollo con Fideos
• Espagueti blanco
• Birria Ramen

You must put the mixture in the frig. If not, it’s won’t harden, and you won’t be able to form the mac and cheese balls.

I’m using crackers here to bind and fry the balls. In Mexico, when we fry stuff, we use galletas saladas. Think milanesa or pescado frito. Yum! Yum!

More Appetizer Recipes

• Chicken Fajita Nachos
• Elote en Vaso
• Frijoles Puercos
• Chorizo Queso Fundido

Check out these beauties! My family was BLOWN AWAY. The Mexican Fried Mac n Cheese balls didn’t make it passed halftime.

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Mexican Fried Mac and Cheese Balls

Game day food doesn't get any better than Mexican Fried Mac and Cheese balls. Not too spicy and incredibly addictive.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 box Kraft Mac n Cheese cooked
• ▢ 2 green onions finely chopped
• ▢ 4 bacon slices cooked and chopped
• ▢ ½ bunch of cilantro finely chopped
• ▢ ½ jalapeno finely diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cumin
• ▢ Dash of oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 package of crackers
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ Splash of milk

Instructions

• Cook Kraft Mac n Cheese according to the package instructions and chop into small pieces.
• In a bowl, add green onions, bacon, cilantro, jalapeno, cumin, oregano, and salt. Mix well.
• Crush ½ the package of crackers and add to the mixture.
• Place it in the refrigerator for one hour.
• Take out from the refrigerator and mold into 1 inch balls.
• Place them back in the refrigerator for 1 hour more.
• Take two plates out. In one plate, add milk and eggs, whisk and set aside.
• In the other plate, crush the remaining crackers.
• Heat the oil.
• Take the mac n cheese balls out from the refrigerator.
• Dip each individually in the egg mixture then cover it completely in the crackers.
• Fry them in the oil for 2 minutes on each side.
• Let me them drain on a paper towel. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

Are kids going to be at your party? Here are some party tips:
In addition to having drinks and food available for the kids, also have crayons handy and other age appropriate games. Before the game, set aside (above the refrigerator, for example) a deck of cards and puzzles. At halftime, refill the food station with more yummy goodies and take out the cards and puzzles. It will help keep the kids entertained while you’re watching the game.