French Onion Macaroni and Cheese
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry whole wheat elbow macaroni
Caramelized Onions
- 1 pound sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 2–3 medium onions)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Sauce
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups fat free half and half
- 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Topping
- 2 tablespoons plain Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Caramelized Onions
- Heat olive oil in a a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and toss to coat. Stir in salt. Cook, stirring occasionally to avoid burning until onions are brown and tender, about 18-20 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook for 1-2 minutes longer until absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in half and half, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and heat through.
- Stir in Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
- Stir in flour, 1 tablespoon at a time allowing flour to dissolve before adding more until sauce thickens.
- Stir in macaroni, onions and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Lightly spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour in macaroni.
Topping
- In a small bowl combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle of macaroni.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until heated through.