Air-Fryer Cheese Balls: A Quick, Crispy Treat

Air fryers are a great way to make healthier, less messy versions of your favourite fried foods. If you're looking for a new snack or appetiser, you might want to try making cheese balls in your air fryer. You can make cheese balls with leftover macaroni and cheese, or just plain cheese. For macaroni and cheese balls, you'll need to form the mixture into balls and chill them before frying. You can also coat them in a mixture of eggs, milk, breadcrumbs and seasonings for a crispier texture. If you're making plain cheese balls, you'll need to cut the cheese into cubes and coat them in flour, egg and breadcrumbs before frying.

Characteristics and Values Table for Air Fryer Cheese Balls

How to make mac and cheese balls in an air fryer

Ingredients:

• Leftover macaroni and cheese
• Eggs
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Marinara sauce (optional)

Method:

• Prepare your macaroni and cheese according to the package instructions. If you are making it from scratch, ensure that it has a cheese sauce that will thicken once refrigerated.
• Allow the macaroni and cheese to cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally, overnight.
• Once the macaroni and cheese is chilled, use your hands to form balls of around 2 tablespoons each. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes to an hour.
• Prepare two bowls: one with beaten eggs and the other with panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir the dry ingredients until combined.
• Dip each macaroni and cheese ball into the egg mixture, then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture until completely coated. Repeat this process for all the balls.
• Place the coated macaroni and cheese balls into the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don't touch. Spray the balls with olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray.
• Air fry at between 350-380°F for 6-12 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. The mac and cheese balls are ready when they are golden brown and crispy.
• Serve immediately, with marinara sauce or another dipping sauce if desired.

Tips:

• If your macaroni and cheese mixture is not firm enough to roll into balls, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before shaping.
• If you are making the macaroni and cheese from scratch, you can add extra shredded cheese to make the mac and cheese balls even cheesier.
• You can also add chopped bacon to the breadcrumb mixture for extra flavour.
• These mac and cheese balls can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven wrapped in foil to keep them crispy.

How to make cheese bites in an air fryer

Ingredients

• Leftover macaroni and cheese
• Eggs
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Olive oil or favourite cooking spray
• Dipping sauce (optional)

Method

• Place your leftover macaroni and cheese in the fridge for at least four hours to chill.
• Once chilled, use your hands to form the macaroni and cheese into balls of around two tablespoons each. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden.
• Prepare three bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
• Roll the chilled macaroni and cheese balls first in the flour, then in the whisked egg, and finally in the panko mixture until completely coated. Repeat this process for all the balls.
• Place the coated macaroni and cheese balls in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer. Lightly spray the balls with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cook in the air fryer at 360-380 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from the air fryer and serve immediately. These cheese bites can be enjoyed on their own or with a dipping sauce such as BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or fry sauce.

How to make cheese curds in an air fryer

This recipe will show you how to make delicious, gooey cheese curds in an air fryer. It's a fun and easy recipe to follow, and the results are mouth-wateringly good!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of Henning's hatch pepper cheddar cheese
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 large beaten eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of Italian panko bread crumbs
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Desired dipping sauce (optional)

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
• Cut or break the cheese into large chunks. Place the flour, eggs, and panko into separate shallow bowls.
• Take a chunk of cheese and dip it first into the flour, then the eggs, and finally the panko bread crumbs. Make sure to shake off any excess coating between each step. Repeat this dipping process to create a double coating.
• Place the coated cheese curds into the air fryer basket and spray them with additional non-stick cooking spray.
• Air fry the cheese curds for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the basket every minute, until golden brown.
• Remove the cheese curds from the air fryer and serve immediately with your desired dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Tips:

• You can use any type of cheddar cheese you like, but the hatch pepper cheddar adds a nice kick of flavour.
• If you prefer a lighter coating, you can skip the double dipping and just do a single coat of flour, egg, and panko.
• Make sure to spray the cheese curds with cooking spray before air frying to help them get nice and crispy.
• These cheese curds are best served fresh, but any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two.

How to make the perfect coating for cheese balls

To make the perfect coating for cheese balls, you'll need eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs. The eggs will act as a binding agent, the flour will provide a dry base for the eggs to adhere to, and the breadcrumbs will give the cheese balls a crispy, crunchy texture.

Start by whisking together the eggs and a small amount of water or milk in a shallow bowl. This will help the eggs coat the cheese balls evenly. In a separate bowl, add the flour and set aside.

For the breadcrumbs, you can use regular or Italian-style panko breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are made from bread without crusts, resulting in larger, coarser crumbs that will give your cheese balls an extra crispy texture. Combine the breadcrumbs with seasonings like garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and salt in a third bowl. You can also add chopped cooked bacon to the breadcrumb mixture for extra flavour.

Now you have your three bowls set up for dredging: flour, egg wash, and seasoned breadcrumbs. Dip the cheese balls first in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then, coat them in the egg wash, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Be sure to press the breadcrumbs gently onto the cheese balls to ensure an even and complete coating.

Repeat this process for a double coating if you want an extra crispy exterior. Place the coated cheese balls in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray or olive oil, and cook according to your recipe instructions.

Your cheese balls will come out with a delicious, crispy golden coating that complements the gooey, melted cheese inside. Enjoy!

What temperature to cook cheese balls at

The optimal temperature for cooking cheese balls in an air fryer is between 350°F and 380°F (roughly 175°C to 190°C) depending on the recipe. At this temperature, the cheese balls will cook in around 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the exact recipe and size of the cheese balls.

It is important to preheat the air fryer before adding the cheese balls. This ensures the air fryer is at the correct temperature and helps to cook the cheese balls evenly.

For best results, place the cheese balls in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch. This allows hot air to circulate around each ball and cook them evenly.

Additionally, spraying the cheese balls with a non-stick cooking spray before placing them in the air fryer can help to crisp them up and give them a golden colour.

Frequently asked questions