French Onion Macaroni and Cheese
French Onion Macaroni and Cheese
What did you say? Macaroni and Cheese in the French Onion Soup?? Really? Well, let me tell you folks, whoever invented this recipe is brilliant! Two yummy classics in the same pot make this the most uber of comfort foods. And, two of my favourite cuisines are in the same bowl. After travelling to France and Italy this summer, I have found myself frequently cooking French and Italian meals; so when I saw this recipe in the Vancouver Sun, I knew that I must try it, killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. It is a quick and super versatile recipe. If you don’t want it too rich, leave out the mascarpone. Want it more creamy? Add some good chunks of butter and more cheese. Swap out the macaroni for one of your other favourite pastas. I made mine with orecchiette. I love this one because each piece of pasta acts as a little bowl for the sauce and the cheese. You never get a boring bite of pasta. Serve this dish with a crisp Chablis and some chewy baguette, and you will be transported to the French countryside… or, the Italian countryside… , you choose!
I will be bringing my dish over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday this week. I hope the gang will enjoy it! I also have the honour of co-hosting this week with Ginger, of Ginger and Bread. Please come and join us. If you have never visited or posted, here are a few guidelines. See you there!
French Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or more to taste
3 medium onions, thinly sliced, about 3 cups
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
2 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
¾ cups water
¼ cup dry sherry
2 cups macaroni pasta
2 cups grated gruyere cheese, divided
¾ cups mascarpone
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Method:
Position oven rack in top third of oven.
Melt butter in a medium oven-safe frying pan, over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves. Stir occasionally, until the onions are golden brown. Pour in broth, water and sherry. Stir in the pasta. Boil, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender.
Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup gruyere, mascarpone and Dijon until combined. Stir remaining 1 cup gruyere with the panko crumbs and sprinkle over the pasta.
Broil until the topping is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining thyme over the topping.
Serve with a crunchy bread.
Foodie On Board 
24 Responses to “French Onion Macaroni and Cheese”
This sounds totally amazing! I’m now craving mac and cheese and its only breakfast time 😀 Btw, do you live in Vancouver? I’ll be traveling there soon and am working on a list of restaurants I want to try. Thanks for hosting FF!
So glad you like this! Well, I live outside of Vancouver, and it is full of outstanding restaurants! Check out The Pear Tree in Burnaby on Hastings Street. It is one of our favourites for birthday celebrations. Also David Hawksworth’s restaurant in the Rose Georgia Hotel. So many great ethnic restaurants too! You could spend a long time visiting all of the great eateries in this area!! Gook luck! 😀
Wow – this does indeed sound like a dream come true. Or should it be two dreams? I’ll be pinning that!
Thank you for co-hosting Fiesta Friday, what an amazing lineup of foods 🙂
Have a great weekend,
Ginger x
Thanks Ginger! So glad that you like it!
Yes, so many wonderful things to eat!! It will be hard to pick the features!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Yum! This sounds like a wonderful version of mac and cheese! 🙂
Thanks Nancy! Yes, I was thrilled with the outcome.
Wow, the things you can do with humble mac’n cheese! IO really like this concept:)
Yes, and when I think back to eating those horrible packaged Mac and Cheese dishes when I was growing up I can’t understand how come we didn’t just do the homemade version. Anyway, this is very easy and super delicious! Glad you like it.
That’s the fanciest man n cheese ever! 5 stars for you, Julianna! Seriously, I LOVE it and will hopefully get to make it soon. Oh, my lucky family!
Thanks so much for cohosting! You’re the BEST! 😘😘
Hey, thanks Angie! Wow, 5 stars? How nice of you! I think your family would really love this, though.
So happy that I could co-host with Ginger. It has been a long time since I last co-hosted, and it really is fun touring through all of the offerings!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 😀
Easy, quick and yummy lunch idea!
Thanks so much! It is even good for breakfast!! 😉
What a lovely way to combine the 2 classics! Thanks for co-hosting 🙂
Thanks Zeba! It is my pleasure to co-host!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 😀
The tastiest mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever seen!! Thanks for co-hosting this week’s FF, Chef Julianna. Happy FF! x
Thanks so much, Jhuls! I am always happy to hang out with such fine foodie people! It makes my week!
Two favorite dishes in one – sounds too good to be true. I’ve never seen mascarpone cheese in mac and cheese – I bet it’s a nice creamy and rich addition. Comfort food at its best 🙂
Hey Judi! Yes, it certainly adds some creaminess and another layer of richness to the dish!
French onion soup and mac & cheese in one? You make it sound so utterly delicious and it looks so inviting! Thank you for co hosting FF! 🙂
Hi Petra! Yes, I had my eye on this recipe for some time, and I was really thrilled with the outcome! Have a great week!
It looks amazing 🙂 x
I think this is the first version I’ve seen with real French onions rather than the onion soup ina can and your pasta choice is perfect! I am going to have to try this!! 🙂 It looks amazing!!
Cheesy yumminess ✌✌ this is definitely freaking good 💯💯
This is so beautiful I could cry