French Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Elevate your mac and cheese experience today with this French Onion Macaroni and Cheese! A creamy, cheesy sauce is infused with the rich flavors of caramelized onions, Gruyère cheese, and vibrant thyme.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 852cal
Cost: $25
Equipment
- 1 oven adjusted to the center rack position
- Measuring Cups & spoons
- 1 5-quart stockpot *to boil pasta
- large skillet or Dutch oven *to caramelize onions & make roux and cheese sauce
- 1 11 x 13 deep-walled casserole dish *must be deep-walled as this recipe makes a lot
- food processor *with cheese attachment
- Air Fryer *to toast the croutons
- garlic press
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Onions
- 4 large Vidalia sweet onions thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- ½ cup dry sherry wine
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- salt & pepper *to taste
Roux and Cheese Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese shredded with food processor
- 16 ounces swiss cheese shredded with food processor
- ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Macaroni
- 1 pound elbow macaroni *cooked al dente
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Croutons
- ½ ciabatta baguette sliced into 8-10 small slices about ½ inch thick.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter *melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- salt & pepper *to taste
Instructions
Caramelize the Onions:
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced onions, and garlic. Add the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized.
- In a measuring cup, mix the Better Than Bouillon Beef Base and sherry wine until dissolved. Add wine mixture to the onions to deglaze the pan scraping up any brown bits. Transfer the caramelized onions to a bowl; set aside.
Garlic Croutons
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave.
- Slice half a ciabatta baguette in half; wrap the other half for another serving.
- Slice remaining half into small slices and place them on an air fryer tray.
- Brush each with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Air fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Keep a close eye on them as air fryers can vary. You want the bread to be a toasty, golden brown so it can be turned into rough crumbs in the food processor.
- Once toasted, add slices to a food processor to rough chop crumbs. Set aside once done for after macaroni and cheese has been baked.
Make the Roux and Cheese Sauce:
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the same pot.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to create a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
- Over the lowest heat, stir in ⅔ of the Gruyère and Swiss cheese until melted and smooth, and in ⅔ of the caramelized onions to the cheese sauce. The remaining cheese and onions will be used to top the macaroni and cheese before baking.
Assembling
- Add drained macaroni to deep baking dish.
- Pour over cheese and onion sauce; mix to combine.
- Top with remaining shredded cheeses, and onions.
- Bake at 375℉ for 25 minutes.
- Once done, top with garlic crouton crumbs.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional values may vary and are meant to be a guide.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 852cal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 643mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1288IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 888mg | Iron: 3mg