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Vegan French Onion Mac and Cheese

How to Make French Onion Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

This vegan french onion macaroni and cheese combines the rich, savory flavors of French onion soup with the creamy, indulgent texture of classic mac and cheese. Packed with caramelized onions, an ultra-cheesy sauce, and a crispy, golden breadcrumb topping, it’s so decadent and flavorful that no one will believe it’s vegan!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 

Pasta

  • 3 cups corkscrew pasta + 1 tbsp kosher salt for seasoning the cooking water

Caramelized Onion Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 6 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced (roughly 3 medium-sized yellow onions)
  • 3/4 cup vegan beef stock
  • 3/4 cup vegan-friendly pinot grigio
  • 1 tbsp cane sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened cashew milk
  • 2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella (I use Daiya's)

Cheesy Base

Breadcrumb Topping

Instructions
 

Pasta

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, season with the salt, add in the pasta and bring it back up to a boil.
  • Once it is at a steady boil, cook the pasta for 8 minutes.
  • Drain the pasta. If not used right away, rinse the pasta under cold water to stop it from cooking and toss it with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Caramelized Onion Sauce

  • Place a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the olive oil and butter.
  • Once the butter is melted, add the onions, stir, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Season the onions with the sugar, salt, and pepper, stir, and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Combine the vegan beef stock and wine in a container.
  • Add 1/4 cup of the stock/wine blend to the onions, stir well, and let cook for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally. Repeat this exact step multiple times until all the liquid has been added to the onions. This step will take about 30 minutes. *Make sure to check the onions frequently to ensure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan or burning.
  • After you've added the last bit of liquid to the onions, continue cooking them for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning and sticking to the pan.
  • Add the thyme to the onions, stir, and cook for one minute.
  • Remove 1/4 cup of the onions and set aside for the breadcrumb topping.
  • Add the flour to the onions and stir for one minute.
  • Now add 1/2 cup of the milk at a time, stirring the entire time. Once all the milk has been added, turn the heat down to medium-low, add the mozzarella, and stir until the cheese is completely melted.
  • Add the cooked noodles to the sauce and stir until evenly combined.

Cheesy Base

  • Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

Breadcrumb Topping

  • Add all ingredients, except the melted butter, to a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
  • Now drizzle across the melted butter and stir until well combined.

How to Assemble and Bake the Macaroni and Cheese

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Add the pasta/caramelized onion sauce mixture into the mixing bowl of the cheesy base and stir until well combined.
  • Pour the mac and cheese into an 8×8 inch baking dish, scraping in all the sauce. Flatten the mixture out from corner to corner.
  • Evenly sprinkle across the breadcrumb topping.
  • Place the dish on a large sheet pan to prevent the sauce from bubbling over into the oven, cover the dish with tin foil, and place it on the middle oven rack.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for another 12-15 minutes, until perfectly golden brown and crispy on top.
Keyword dairy free mac and cheese, french onion vegan mac and cheese, non dairy mac and cheese, plant based mac and cheese, vegan mac and cheese, vegan mac and cheese recipe, vegan mac n cheese, vegan macaroni and cheese
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