French Onion Mac N Cheese
This French Onion Mac N Cheese take the classic homemade to an elevated holiday side dish like none other! The mac n cheese is creamy and cheesy with a more mild flavor that’s not overwhelming, topped with a crispy crostini and caramelized onion topping for those French Onion Soup flavors. It’s the coziest dinner recipe you’ll have to try out this holiday season!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Butter
- Onions
- Salt
- White Wine
- Fresh Thyme
- Elbow Pasta
- Olive Oil
- Baguette
- Garlic
- Flour
- Milk
- Heavy Cream
- Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Gruyere Cheese
- Egg Yolk
KEY TIPS to Making the Perfect Mac N Cheese:
- Cook the pasta until al dente (2 minutes under packaging time) and let cool while you finish making the sauce. This helps the pasta to not absorb so much sauce so it doesn’t go soggy.
- Heat the sauce on a Medium LOW heat to help prevent the sauce from curdling. Cooking the sauce over a higher heat will cause the acidity in the milk to separate the sauce when you begin to add the cheese.
- If you do find your sauce curdling, just add more cheddar cheese or mozzarella and whisk on LOW heat until smooth again!
Can Mac N Cheese be Made in Advance?
Once the Mac N Cheese has been assembled, let it cool completely before covering with foil and placing in the fridge for up to 2 days in advance. When ready to serve, you’ll want to bake covered at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until warmed through (you can test with a toothpick inserted into the center) and then bake uncovered at 400F for 10-15 minutes to help the top brown a little.
Cook with me!
French Onion Mac N Cheese
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Onions:
- 3 tbsp. Organic Valley UnsaltedButter
- 2 large Onions thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. Salt
- ¾ cup White Wine
- 1 tsp. Fresh Thyme
For the Mac N Cheese:
- 1 lb. Cooked Elbow Pasta slightlyundercooked
- ½ Baguette sliced
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 5 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 2 Garlic Cloves crushed or minced
- 3 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
- 3 ½ cups Organic Valley Whole Milk
- ½ cup Organic Valley Heavy Cream
- 8 oz Organic Valley Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese freshly grated
- 8 oz Organic Valley Raw Cheddar Cheese freshly grated
- 8 oz Organic Valley Mozzarella freshlygrated
- 6 oz Gruyere freshly grated
- 1 Egg Yolk
- ¾ tsp. each: Salt Black Pepper,& Paprika
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- To Make the Caramelized Onions: Add the butter to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once melted, add the thinly sliced onions to sauté 10-15 minutes. Add ¼ cup water, stir until evaporated, then repeat 2-3 times until onions are deeply caramelized. Deglaze the skillet with the white wine. Stir until the white wine has evaporated, then add the thyme. Remove from heat.
- To Make the Crostini: Add the baguette slices to a small baking pan. Drizzle generously with the olive oil, then bake 8-10 minutes, until golden and crunchy. Pulse in a food processor so you have a variety of tiny and larger pieces. Set aside.
- To Make the Mac N Cheese: In alarge skillet, preferably oven safe, add the butter. Once melted, add thegarlic to sauté 1 minute. Add the flour, and whisk until well incorporated intothe melted butter. Cook another minute.
- Gradually whisk in the milk 1 cup at a time, making sure the sauce thickens before adding the next cup.
- Gradually whisk in the heavy cream, then whisk in the spices.
- Reduce heat to medium. Set aside half of the grated gruyere cheese.
- Whisk in 1 cup of grated cheese at a time. If the cheese mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat. Lastly, whisk in the egg yolk and fresh thyme.
- Stir in the cooked pasta. (If needed, transfer to a large 9×13” baking dish.)
- Top with the remaining grated gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and crostini bits.
- Reduce oven heat to 400F to bake for 20-25 minutes. If at any point you find the crostini to begin burning, cover with foil. Let cool at least 10 minutes before enjoying warm!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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My family loved this! Soooo good.
This was some of the best mac and cheese I’ve made! I didn’t have the time to make the caramelized onions, so I put fried onions on top after baking and it was great substitute that added more crunch.
This was so delicious! Made it for a Friendsgiving last week, and the pan was licked clean. Making it again for family Thanksgiving!