This French Onion Mac and Cheese has all of the flavors of a classic French onion soup. The caramelized onions add a touch of sweetness. It is super cheesy and cooked from start to finish in one pot.
I have seen French onion pasta recipes all over TikTok and after my French Onion Chicken Bake went viral a few months back, I was inspired to create this French onion macaroni and cheese recipe.
Instead of topping the pasta with sliced baguette or breadcrumbs, I finished it with the canned crispy fried onions to really drive home the onion flavor.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Inspired by French onion soup - This recipe is flavored with caramelized onions, white wine, thyme, and cheese, just like a traditional French onion soup.
- Decadent - This dish is super rich and hearty. Total comfort food!
- Creamy - The evaporated milk is the perfect base for the cheese sauce.
- Cheesy - This mac and cheese has 3 different types of cheese, gruyere, mozzarella, and white cheddar.
- One pot - This recipe is made in ONLY one pot. No need to transfer the pasta to a casserole dish if your pan is stovetop & oven-safe pot or pan.
- No roux - The starches from the pasta will thicken the sauce.
- Different - This dish is a fun way to deviate from a classic macaroni and cheese.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- White Wine: I recommend an inexpensive bottle of sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. You can also use additional beef broth instead of wine to omit alcohol. If you omit the wine, add 1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard for some acidity.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make French Onion Mac & Cheese
Quick Overview
- Caramelize onions.
- Cook pasta.
- Add cheese & crispy fried onions.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Don’t rush the onions. They will need about 45 minutes to caramelize.
Step 1: In an oven & stovetop safe deep large skillet, add the butter, onions, salt, sugar, and pepper over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Sauté for about 15 minutes until the onions start to turn golden brown. Deglaze the pan with about ⅓ of the wine.
Step 3: Sauté for another 30 minutes, deglazing the pan twice more with the remaining wine (every 15 minutes). After 45 minutes, the onions should have reduced significantly in volume and be a deep brown color. See photos above.
Step 4: Reduce to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and thyme. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Undercook the pasta by 1-2 minutes. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Step 5: Stir in 2 cups of broth, milk, worcestershire, and the pasta. Increase to medium heat and bring to a light boil. Cook and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes.
Step 6: Stir in the remaining cup of broth.
Step 7: Continue cooking for about 5-10 minutes or until the pasta is almost cooked through. If the pasta seems dry at any point, add a broth splash. Taste and add salt if needed.
Step 8: Remove the pasta from the heat and stir in about 2 cups of the cheese.
Step 9: Sprinkle the remaining cheese and crispy onions on top.
Step 10: Bake for 10-15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish this pasta with parmesan cheese, more cracked black pepper, and fresh thyme.
I recommend serving this mac and cheese with a simple protein, like my Cast Iron Chicken Breasts.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Carmelize the onions. The most time consuming part of this recipe is caramelizing the onions. It takes about 45 minutes and cannot be rushed. It is so worth it though!
- Do not cook the pasta all the way through. I recommend tasting the pasta to check the doneness and salt level. You want the pasta to still be a bit chewy and undercooked because it will finish cooking in the oven. This will ensure it comes out al dente, instead of mushy. Add another pinch of salt if needed at this point as well.
- Add broth as needed. If you prefer a saucier pasta, add more broth as the pasta boil. If you prefer it thicker, then do not add as much.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using a mixture of cheese for mac and cheese. A cheese like gruyere or white cheddar adds a delicious sharp flavor, while a cheese like mozzarella adds stringiness.
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French Onion Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2-3 medium yellow onions, sliced thinly
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- freshly cracked black pepper
- ⅔ cup dry white wine*
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 - 3 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 12- ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 8 ounces short cut pasta
- 6 ounces 1 ½ cups mozzarella, shredded
- 4 ounces 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces 1 cup sharp white cheddar, shredded
- 1 heaping cup crispy fried onions, like French’s
Instructions:
- In an oven & stovetop safe deep large skillet, add the butter, onions, salt, sugar, and pepper over medium-high heat.
- Sauté for about 15 minutes until the onions start to turn golden brown. Deglaze the pan with about ⅓ of the wine.
- Sauté for another 30 minutes, deglazing the pan twice more with the remaining wine (every 15 minutes). After 45 minutes, the onions should have reduced significantly in volume and be a deep brown color. See photos above.
- Reduce to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and thyme. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Stir in 2 cups of broth, milk, worcestershire, and the pasta. Increase to medium heat and bring to a light boil. Cook and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining cup of broth.
- Continue cooking for about 5-10 minutes or until the pasta is almost cooked through. If the pasta seems dry at any point, add a broth splash. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Remove the pasta from the heat and stir in about 2 cups of the cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese and crispy onions on top.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- White Wine: I recommend an inexpensive bottle of sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. You can also use additional beef broth instead of wine to omit alcohol. If you omit the wine, add 1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard for some acidity.
- Carmelize the onions. The most time consuming part of this recipe is caramelizing the onions. It takes about 45 minutes and cannot be rushed. It is so worth it though!
- Do not cook the pasta all the way through. I recommend tasting the pasta to check the doneness and salt level. You want the pasta to still be a bit chewy and undercooked because it will finish cooking in the oven. This will ensure it comes out al dente, instead of mushy. Add another pinch of salt if needed at this point as well.
- Add broth as needed. If you prefer a saucier pasta, add more broth as the pasta boil. If you prefer it thicker, then do not add as much.
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