# French Onion Mac and Cheese

A twist on the classic macaroni and cheese, this dish combines the rich flavors of French onion soup with creamy mac and cheese.

- Total time: 60 min
- Cuisine: American
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 -6 Spanish onions, thin sliced
- 5 -6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 -3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
- 0.25 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 qt beef stock or bone broth
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 lb your favorite pasta
- 8 oz Swiss cheese
- 8 -10 oz parmesan cheese
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs

## Instructions

1. Thin slice about 5 to 6 Spanish onions.
2. In a heavy bottom pot over low heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil, followed by all of your sliced onions.
3. Stir the onions every few minutes until they are caramelized, which will take about 45 minutes to an hour.
4. After about 10 minutes, use the sliced onions to scrub up any sugars and onion bits that stick to the bottom of your pot (fond).
5. If the fond can no longer be scrubbed with onions, add about a tablespoon or two of water to dissolve and pick up the brown bits, repeating as necessary.
6. In a pot of boiling salted water, add about a pound of your favorite pasta and cook for maybe three to four minutes, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
7. Once onions are caramelized, add about 5 to 6 minced garlic cloves, followed by the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme.
8. Stir in the garlic and thyme, then immediately add a quarter cup of balsamic vinegar.
9. Reduce the vinegar for a couple of minutes until it smells sweet.
10. Strain the pasta.
11. Add about two cups of heavy cream, a pinch of black pepper, and one quart of beef stock or bone broth to the onion mixture.
12. Add a pinch of kosher salt and let this come to a simmer, then remove from heat.
13. Grate about 8 ounces of Swiss cheese and about 8 to 10 ounces of parmesan cheese.
14. Add about two cups of panko breadcrumbs to a separate bowl and about a third of the grated cheese to the breadcrumbs.
15. To the rest of the cheese, add the French onion sauce and the barely cooked pasta.
16. Mix everything together and transfer into a deep 9x13 pan.
17. Top generously with the cheesy breadcrumbs.
18. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are nice and toasty.

## Equipment

- heavy bottom pot
- wooden spoon
- bamboo spoon
- grater
- deep 9x13 pan

## Tips

- Use a wooden or bamboo spoon to scrub up the fond from the bottom of the pot.
- Use a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pot and dissolve the fond when it can no longer be scrubbed up by the onions.
- When grating cheese close to the grater, switch to the palm of your hand for safety.
- Don't throw away parmesan rind; steep it into marinara sauce or soups.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18kwuJaADY/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/c40b365d-b60e-4f57-9290-c84bd7bd14d2
- Extracted: 2026-04-19

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt