French Onion Mac and Cheeeese
French Onion Mac and Cheeeese
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Onions
- 4 yellow onions, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or as needed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
For the Mac and Cheese
- 340 g pasta, such as rigatoni or small shells
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus extra for topping
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded (raclette works great also)
- 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 1/4 cup pecorino cheese, grated (optional, for topping)
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped, for garnish
For the Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 French baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Chop the yellow onions. In a large pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize.
⏱️ 35 min
- 2
Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of beef stock and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking the onions for another 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until they are gooey and fully caramelized. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the French baguette into rounds. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt over the baguette slices. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and golden brown. Once cooled, blend the crispy baguette slices in a food processor until fine bread crumbs are formed. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 400
- 4
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the 340 grams of pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
While the pasta cooks, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pot or pan over low heat. Add the chopped shallots and chopped garlic, and cook briefly until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of paprika and 1/4 teaspoon of mustard powder. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour to create a roux, cooking for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Slowly incorporate 3 cups of milk, 1 cup at a time, while continuously whisking until the roux is consistently smooth and the sauce begins to thicken.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Remove the pot from the heat. Mix in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, 1 cup of shredded cheddar, and 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese. If using, add 1/4 cup of crumbled blue cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted and combined into a smooth sauce.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Immediately fold the cooked al dente pasta into the prepared cheese sauce, ensuring all pasta is coated.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C). In a baking pan or oven-safe dish, layer the mac and cheese. Evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the mac and cheese. Sprinkle extra shredded mozzarella cheese over the onions.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 360
- 11
If using, grate Pecorino cheese over the top. Finally, sprinkle the prepared bread crumbs generously over the top. Bake the dish in the oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 360
- 12
Garnish with chopped chives before serving.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
French Onion Mac and Cheeeese
For the Caramelized Onions
- 4 yellow onions, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or as needed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
For the Mac and Cheese
- 340 g pasta, such as rigatoni or small shells
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus extra for topping
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded (raclette works great also)
- 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 1/4 cup pecorino cheese, grated (optional, for topping)
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped, for garnish
For the Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 French baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Chop the yellow onions. In a large pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize.
⏱️ 35 min - 2
Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of beef stock and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking the onions for another 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until they are gooey and fully caramelized. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the French baguette into rounds. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt over the baguette slices. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and golden brown. Once cooled, blend the crispy baguette slices in a food processor until fine bread crumbs are formed. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 400 - 4
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the 340 grams of pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
While the pasta cooks, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pot or pan over low heat. Add the chopped shallots and chopped garlic, and cook briefly until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of paprika and 1/4 teaspoon of mustard powder. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour to create a roux, cooking for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Slowly incorporate 3 cups of milk, 1 cup at a time, while continuously whisking until the roux is consistently smooth and the sauce begins to thicken.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Remove the pot from the heat. Mix in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, 1 cup of shredded cheddar, and 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese. If using, add 1/4 cup of crumbled blue cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted and combined into a smooth sauce.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Immediately fold the cooked al dente pasta into the prepared cheese sauce, ensuring all pasta is coated.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C). In a baking pan or oven-safe dish, layer the mac and cheese. Evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the mac and cheese. Sprinkle extra shredded mozzarella cheese over the onions.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 360 - 11
If using, grate Pecorino cheese over the top. Finally, sprinkle the prepared bread crumbs generously over the top. Bake the dish in the oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 360 - 12
Garnish with chopped chives before serving.
⏱️ 1 min