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French Onion Mac and Cheese

French Onion Mac and Cheese with bacon is a quick and easy pasta dish that is hearty enough to be the main dish or serve it as a side dish with any meal.

Homemade Mac and Cheese is one of our go-to comfort foods for a quick weeknight dinner. Adding in caramelized onions and bacon elevates regular old mac and cheese into something special.

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Pan of French Onion Mac and Cheese with crispy bacon.

We prefer stovetop macaroni and cheese to the baked casserole which has a tendency to dry out. Plus this bacon onion mac and cheese can be on the table in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients Needed

  • Macaroni or your favorite pasta like gemelli or cavatappi
  • Bacon
  • Salted Butter
  • Sweet Onions ~ Sliced thin.
  • Minced Garlic
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Kosher Salt
  • Fresh Ground Pepper
  • Whole Milk
  • Heavy Cream
  • Gruyere Cheese ~ Shredded

Step By Step Directions

Colander with boiled macaroni.

STEP 1 Boil the macaroni according to package directions and drain well.

Chopped crispy bacon on a cutting board.

STEP 2 Cook the bacon in the oven on a sheet pan about 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels. When Cooled, chop until crumbled.

Skillet with onions and garlic.

STEP 3 In a deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and cook sliced onions and garlic over medium heat.

Skillet of caramelized onions.

Stir often until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside.

Making cheese sauce with bacon and onions for macaroni - collage.

STEP 4 Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan along with flour, salt and pepper. Cooking over medium heat, whisking often about 2 minutes.

STEP 5 Add milk and heavy cream, continue whisking the mixture until thickened.

STEP 6 Whisk in the shredded cheese until completely melted.

STEP 7 Add the caramelized onions and crumbled bacon, stirring to combine.

Pan with cheese sauce, stirring in cooked macaroni.

STEP 8 Stir in the cooked and drained macaroni, cooking about 2 minutes or until well combined and macaroni is heated through.

Pan of macaroni and cheese with onions and bacon.

Serve immediately.

This French Onion Mac and Cheese is a grownup version of the classic blue box mac and cheese that we all grew up with. Gooey gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and crispy bacon will turn anyone into a mac and cheese lover.

Recipe Notes

Cheese Variations: Use any type of cheese that you prefer. If you can’t find gruyere, try gouda or a really sharp white cheddar works well too.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Reheat: Place mac and cheese in a pan with a tablespoon or two of milk, cook over medium heat, stirring until heated through.

More Delicious Pasta Dishes to Try

Bacon White Cheddar Pasta is always a favorite to serve with everything from burgers to holiday ham.

Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta is a weeknight favorite loaded with amazing flavors.

Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo is so simple to make at home and our version is sure to rival your favorite Italian restaurant version.

Spoonful of mac and cheese with bacon and onions.

This French Onion Mac and Cheese with bacon is easy enough for any night of the week and delicious enough to serve to company or add to any holiday dinner menu.

f you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a comment and a five star review. Help us share on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!

Mac and Cheese with bacon and caramelized onions.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

French Onion Mac and Cheese

French Onion Mac and Cheese with bacon is a quick and easy pasta dish that is hearty enough to be the main dish or serve it as a side dish with any meal.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: adult mac and cheese, bacon onion mac and cheese, caramelized onion mac and cheese, gruyere mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese with bacon
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 673kcal
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces macaroni cooked and drained
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup salted butter divided
  • 1 large sweet onion cut into quarters and sliced thin
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 7 ounces gruyere cheese shredded

Instructions

  • In a deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter, add sliced onions and garlic, cooking over medium heat.
  • Stir often until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan along with flour, salt and pepper. Cooking over medium heat, whisking often about 2 minutes.
  • Add milk and heavy cream, continue whisking the mixture until thickened.
  • Whisk in shredded gruyere until completely melted.
  • Add the caramelized onions and crumbled bacon, stirring to combine.
  • Stir in the cooked and drained macaroni, cooking about 2 minutes or until well combined and macaroni is heated through.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Double recipe as needed for a crowd.
Cheese Variations: Use any type of cheese that you prefer. If you can't find gruyere, try gouda or a really sharp white cheddar works well too.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Reheat: Place mac and cheese in a pan with a tablespoon or two of milk, cook over medium heat, stirring until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1075mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g

4 Comments

  1. This is so good. I had some caramelized onions in my freezer so that made things even easier. This is a delicious recipe with the Gruyere cheese. Super creamy. I left out the bacon.

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