Three Cheese Macaroni Bites

A recipe for Three Cheese Macaroni Bites to celebrate #SundaySupper Big Game Day! These mini baked macaroni and cheese bites are filled with Cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan.

Today, Sunday Supper is celebrating Game Day foods! I made these Three Cheese Macaroni Bites for the event. They are perfect for get-togethers or even as a fun holiday appetizer.

Macaroni noodles are folded into a thick sauce with Cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan, egg yolks, and spices. The mixture is divided among mini muffin tins, topped with Panko breadcrumbs and additional Parmesan, then baked until golden and bubbly.

Allow the mac and cheese bites to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before removing and serving with a sprinkling of fresh parsley or chives.

A Few Tips

I used elbow macaroni noodles for the macaroni bites. You can swap for another similar shape or size such as mini penne or mini wheels. They need to easily fit inside the miniature muffin tins.

Boil the macaroni until barely tender. They will soften a little further as they soak up the liquid from the cheese sauce in the oven.

Slowly whisk the milk into the roux (butter and flour mixture). Adding too much in the beginning will create lumps in the sauce.

Shred the cheese at home and avoid pre-shredded if possible. This will help create a smoother texture.

Remove the thickened milk from heat before stirring in the shredded cheese and egg yolks. Make sure it is not bubbling. If the mixture is too hot, the cheese may separate and eggs may cook. Place back over very low heat only if the cheese won’t melt.

I used a small cookie scoop to easily transfer the macaroni to the mini muffin tins.

For a little color, sprinkle the Macaroni Bites with freshly chopped parsley. Chives would also work well.

These Three Cheese Macaroni Bites are best shortly after baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 400˚F (200˚C) oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Check out what everyone else made:

Appetizers and Sides

• Avocado Egg Rolls by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Cajun Okra Fries by Food Lust People Love
• Cheese Board and Baguettes Make for the Start of a Great Game Day Feast by Delaware Girl Eats
• Cheesy Sausage Dip by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Chicken Fajita Nachos by Sweet Mornings
• Corn Dog Muffins by Noshing With The Nolands
• Fish Taquitos by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Gluten Free Asian Sweet Chili Wings by Flippin’ Delicious
• Hot Pork Roll and Cheese Dip by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Patatas Pobres for a Crowd by Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen
• Roasted Broccoli Artichoke Dip by Cooking Chat
• Slow Cooker Thai Wings by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Smoky Blender Salsa by What Smells So Good?
• Southwestern Eggroll Cups by A Gouda Life
• Southwestern Flatbread and a “Design Your Own Flatbread” Table by The Freshman Cook
• Spicy Szechuan Shrimp Lettuce Cups by Palatable Pastime
• Sweet and Spicy Hummus by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Texas Caviar by Books n’ Cooks
• Three Cheese Macaroni Bites by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Main Dishes

• Buffalo Chicken Chili by Monica’s Table
• Game Day Chili by Our Good Life
• Pizza Pasta Bake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pork Italiano Sandwich by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
• Ree’s Philly Cheesesteaks by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes

Desserts and Drinks

• Cinnamon Sugar Chex Mix by Pies and Plots
• S’more Poutine by Desserts Required

This recipe was originally posted in January 2016 and updated in October 2022.

Three Cheese Macaroni Bites Recipe

Adapted from The Galley Gourmet

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5 from 1 vote

Three Cheese Macaroni Bites

A recipe for Three Cheese Macaroni Bites! These mini baked macaroni and cheese bites are filled with Cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine N/A

Keyword appetizer, cheddar, cheese, gruyere, mac and cheese, macaroni, macaroni and cheese, parmesan, pasta, snack

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 36 Macaroni Bites

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (227 grams) dried macaroni or other similar medium-shape pasta
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons (18 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 4 ounces (113 grams) Cheddar cheese shredded
• 4 ounces (113 grams) Gruyère cheese shredded
• 2 ounces (57 grams) Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for topping
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (15 grams) Panko breadcrumbs
• Freshly chopped Parsley or chives for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Grease 36 mini muffin cavities.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until barely tender, al dente. Drain and set aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Once melted, mix in the flour and cook until golden, whisking constantly.
• Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Cook, whisking often, until thickened.
• Stir in the salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Remove from heat, the add the Cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheese a handful at a time, stirring well between each addition.
• Mix in the egg yolks, then fold in the cooked pasta until well coated.
• Fill each of the prepared muffin tins with the pasta. Do not overfill.
• Sprinkle the panko over each macaroni and cheese bite, then sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the macaroni bites are bubbly and golden around the edges, about 12 minutes.
• Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing with a small spoon or off-set spatula.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or chives before serving.