Mac and Cheese Bites Recipe: A Feel-Good, Planet-Friendly Snack
These crispy, gooey, creamy Mac and Cheese bites served with a tangy red hot cream cheese dipping sauce are the perfect snack for the Super Bowl or any gathering. Made with animal-free Perfect Day cream cheese and milk, these bites are not only delicious but better for the planet too. Let’s learn how to make these tasty treats!
What is animal-free cream cheese and milk?
We’ve partnered with nature to make the things we love while using fewer resources. We create animal-free dairy protein similar to the protein in cow’s milk but are made without a single cow, thanks to precision fermentation. The process begins with our tiny partners, microflora, organisms that naturally ferment in the wild and produce large amounts of protein through fermentation. We help them adopt the genetic instructions to make cow whey protein. In a fermentation tank, the microflora ferments a broth of plant sugars and vitamins, producing non-animal whey protein that is nature-identical to whey from cows. The protein is safely filtered, and we’re left with a pure whey protein identical to the dairy protein consumed for generations. It’s identical to the classic. Imagine a brewery, but we’re brewing milk protein instead of beer. We just got there a different way.
Our animal-free dairy is lactose-free and has all the benefits of traditional dairy, but it is also cholesterol-free, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free.
We partner with retail brands and food service manufacturers to create products with our animal-free dairies, such as protein powder, ice cream, gelato, milk, chocolate, and cream cheese. Check out our animal-free cream cheese partners Modern Kitchen and Nurishh and animal-free milk partners Betterland and Strive.
How to make Mac and Cheese Bites
Ingredients (makes 12 servings)
1 cup vegan-friendly flour
1 cup vegan-friendly butter
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups Perfect Day Milk (check out our partners, Betterland and Strive, to purchase our cream cheese)
1 cup vegan cheddar shreds
2 tbsp. Perfect Day cream cheese (check out our partners, Modern Kitchen and Nurishh, to purchase our cream cheese)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup panko or breadcrumbs
1 cup of your favorite hot sauce or Sriracha
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Vegetable oil for frying
2 cups of cooked elbow macaroni
Instructions
- To make the cheese sauce, start by making a roux. Melt vegan butter in a small pan and stir in some flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring for one minute.
- Heat the Perfect Day milk with garlic and thyme in a medium saucepan until it lightly browns. Turn the heat to low and allow the flavors to infuse for 5 minutes.
- Remove the garlic and thyme from the milk and bring the milk to a simmer. Add the roux by teaspoons, whisking as you add. Cook until the mixture is thick.
- Add the vegan cheddar shreds to the sauce while it’s still hot. Stir in the Perfect egg cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
- Add the cheese sauce to the cooked pasta and gently stir.
- Once cooled, form the mac and cheese into little balls (each one should weigh 25-50 grams).
- Prepare the breading station by placing flour in one bowl, a mixture of Perfect Day cream cheese and Perfect Day milk in the second bowl, and panko or bread crumbs in the third bowl.
- Roll each mac and cheese ball in flour, then dip it into the cream cheese mixture and the bread crumbs. Lightly pack each ball between your two hands to ensure they are well-coated.
- Refrigerate the breaded mac and cheese balls for 20 minutes.
- To make the red hot dipping sauce, whisk the Perfect egg cream cheese while drizzling in Perfect Day milk and gradually add the hot sauce. Taste as you go, and add more hot sauce or lemon juice to taste, along with herbs and salt.
- When ready to serve, heat the frying oil to 375°F and deep fry the bites in batches until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain on a rack and serve immediately, garnished with chives and the red hot dipping sauce.
These animal-free and lactose-free Mac and Cheese bites are a fun and delicious shared appetizer that everyone will love. So, go ahead, whip up a batch and enjoy with friends and family!
We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Your email address will not be shared.
