French Onion Mac and Cheese

Original Post: https://www.evolvingtable.com/french-onion-mac-and-cheese/

5 from 1 vote

French Onion Mac and Cheese

Allow me to introduce you to the most decadent dish on your holiday table… French Onion Mac and Cheese. Loaded with sweet caramelized onions, salty Gruyère, and a buttery golden breadcrumb topping, this baked mac is rich, cozy, and guaranteed to get the whole table talking!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings

Author: London Brazil

Ingredients

1 pound pasta elbows, cavatappi, or shells
1 ½ pounds sweet onions thinly sliced (about 2-3 large, or 4 medium)
6 tablespoons salted butter divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves finely minced
½ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 ½ teaspoon salt divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups whole milk
3 cups freshly shredded Gruyère cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Fresh thyme optional

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Caramelize the onions: Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are golden brown and caramelized.
1 ½ pounds sweet onions, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beef broth, ¾ teaspoon salt, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until reduced and most of the liquid has evaporated. Reserve ¾ cup of the onions for the topping.
4 garlic cloves, ½ cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cook the pasta: While the onions are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water (2 teaspoons salt in water) to a boil. Add pasta and cook 1-2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
1 pound pasta
Make the cheese sauce: Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a separate skillet or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk ½ cup at a time, whisking continuously, until thickened. Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, Gruyère and Parmesan until smooth.
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 ½ cups whole milk, 3 cups freshly shredded Gruyère cheese, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Make the topping: In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and then mix in the Panko breadcrumbs with ¼ teaspoon salt.
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Combine it all together: Add the cooked pasta and the cheese sauce into the oven-proof skillet with the onions. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Spread the reserved onions on top and then sprinkle evenly with the breadcrumb topping.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. To get those extra crispy bits, pop under the broiler for another few minutes before serving with fresh rosemary and thyme, if desired.

Notes

Onions: Sweet onions are the way to go! They caramelize beautifully and bring that classic French onion flavor. Yellow works, but skip white or red — they’re way too sharp.
Pasta: Choose something with lots of curves, ridges, or hollows. Elbows, shells, or cavatappi are perfect since they catch all that creamy cheese sauce.
Caramelizing: Keep an eye on those onions and give them a stir every few minutes. Slow and steady wins here. They’ll turn golden and jammy without burning.
Cheese: Freshly grated all the way! Pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that mess with the melt (and nobody wants clumpy mac and cheese).
Breadcrumbs: Panko makes all the difference. They bake up light, golden, and super crunchy.
Skillet: If you’ve got a cast-iron or enameled skillet, use it! It holds heat beautifully and gives those onions their signature caramelized flavor.

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