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The most amazing combination of creamy extra cheesy mac and cheese and French Onion Soup! The extra step to spoon the mac and cheese into crocks and broil in the oven with extra cheese and panko is SO worth it.

Feel free to rate/comment if you give this French onion mac and cheese a try!

If you enjoy this French onion mac and cheese then you may enjoy these other French onion recipes:

One Pot French Onion Pasta
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One Pot French Onion Pasta with Truffle Burrata
This is a remixed version of one of my most popular recipes – One Pot French Onion Pasta! This one is extra induldgent with mushrooms, garlic, and truffle burrata.
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The Best French Onion Soup
This is the best french onion soup. It's warm, savory, sweet, cheesy, and the absolute perfect meal for a cold winter night.
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French Onion Mac and Cheese

The most amazing combination of creamy extra cheesy mac and cheese and French Onion Soup!
4.88 from 24 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Caramelized Onions

Mac and Cheese

Topping

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions
 

Caramelized Onions

  • Heat 1 tbsp olive and oil and 1 tbsp butter in a Dutch Oven or large pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and a big pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Remove lid, lower heat to medium low, and caramelize onions for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Halfway through, add a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
  • Once caramelized, pour in sherry to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as needed. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce. Cook for a few minutes until the liquid absorbs. Discard the thyme springs.

Mac and Cheese

  • Make the mac and cheese while the onions caramelize to save time. Cook pasta according to package instructions 1 minute less than al dente. Reserve about 1/2 a cup of pasta water.
  • Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour. Stir to combine and cook 2 minutes until starting to turn golden. Pour in whole milk and add dry mustard, cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Optionally, mix in better than bouillon beef paste. If omitting the paste, season to taste with salt. Add additional seasoning as desired. Turn heat to medium high and whisk, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes until thick.
  • Turn off heat and add the freshly grated cheeses. Whisk until completely melted and smooth. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir well to combine. Add a little pasta water as needed if the sauce is too thick. Then transfer the pasta to the pot of caramelized onions and combine everything together well.

Topping & Assembly

  • Preheat broiler.
  • Melt 2 tbsp butter and stir in panko until well combined. Mix in cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.
  • Spoon caramelized onion mac and cheese equally into oven safe crocks. Evenly divide the panko mixture on top of each crock. Finally, evenly sprinkle additional shredded cheddar, gruyere, and parmesan cheese on top. Season as desired with black pepper. Broil for 3-5 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Keyword Pasta
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