Hold onto your food folks! I'm about to blow your mind with calories in the most delicious way. Take yourself on the tastiest culinary adventure by replacing your standard burger bun with mac and cheese bread! That's right, we're breading and frying mac and cheese and using it as a hamburger bun. It's as delicious as it sounds.
The buns can be used with any burger with your choice of toppings. We even have one The guide to the perfect burger to help you
Why our recipe?
- I mean, it's delicious. So delicious it goes without saying. So delicious it's probably dangerous.
- Tried and true recipes online since 2014 using the most delicious mac and cheese.
- Not just for looks, you can actually get your jaws around our buns.
The chefs behind the Rockit Burger Bar The Today Show 2013 featured their famous burger that uses mac and cheese as the bun. I needed to try it for myself, and thus this recipe was born. Theirs is a thick, over-the-top burger that goes tall, but I decided to make my version a little more edible in one bite. Sure, it's a heart attack on a plate, but it's one of those dishes that's a fun culinary task for special occasions.
Material notes
- Elbow Macaroni Mac and Cheese: Elbow macaroni is the shape needed to make it into a bun. Other than that you can technically use any baked mac and cheese recipe you like. Ours is pretty good, but some people have feelings about their mac and cheese.
- Frank's Hot Sauce: Enhances the flavor of the cheese without making the sauce overly spicy. If you want a bun with a kick, you can double it.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Be sharp for mac and cheese. Always.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use any frying oil of your choice.
- Plain Bread Crumbs: You can also use Italian bread crumbs and omit the basil and oregano.
- Crushed Red Chilli Flakes: Adds a mild kick to the buns, but if you're not a fan of the heat, you can always leave them out.
Mac and cheese
be sure Use elbow macaroni Other shapes can be more difficult to work with and stand out. Skip any bread crumbs or crunchy toppings Because we'll be breading and frying this mac and cheese. most importantly, The mac and cheese should be chilled And tough for slicing and frying. This ensures that the mac and cheese holds its shape when cut into buns.
Chef's tips for frying and chopping
Cut the Bun: Use a cup, biscuit cutter, or round cookie cutter to cut circles directly from the cooled mac and cheese in the 9×13 pan. You should be able to get either 6 large circles, or 8 medium-sized circles, which will be cut in half to make two buns each. So, you have enough for 6 or 8 burgers with a pan of mac and cheese.
Handle with care: Mac and cheese buns are delicate, so handle them gently. Keeping them cold while cutting and preparing will help them retain their shape. Thicker buns are easier to fry without cutting them in half, but harder to wrap your jaw around for a bite.
Per-freezing options: If you are concerned about the buns holding together while frying, you can freeze cut and sliced buns. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes before coating and frying. This extra step can make handling easier and help keep the buns intact in the hot oil.
Burger and topping suggestions
Burgers: First off, you're going to want a big old juicy burger patty for this so we'd recommend using ours Tips for the perfect burger or a Smoked burgers. You could go for one Turkey burger If you can't do red meat, we recommend beef on this one if you can.
More mac and cheese: Scrap those from cutting your circles? Warm them up in the microwave and spoon that goodness over your patties.
California Style: Top your burger patty with some fried, caramelizedor fried onions And spoon on some Guacamole. And you can't go wrong with making an extra cheeseburger by melting a slice of cheese on top of the patty first.
Storage and reheating instructions
Keep in fridge Leftover mac and cheese buns in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
freeze Refrigerate the prepared buns on a baking sheet for about 1 hour, then transfer to a plastic freezer bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
to reheat, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the buns on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until hot and crispy. Avoid microwaving, as this can make the buns soggy and fall apart.
