• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog
    • Food
      • Appetizers
      • Breads
      • Breakfast
      • Dairy Free
      • Drinks
      • Healthy
      • Homemade
      • Main Dishes
      • Pastas
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
      • Snacks
      • Soups & Stews
      • Sweets
      • Vegetables
    • Obsessing On
      • Series Posts
        • Blogging Roundup
        • Crushing On…
        • Cookbook Love
        • Blog Crushes
        • Favorite Finds
        • Let’s Travel
      • Share Fest
        • Beauty & DIY
        • Blogging
        • My Kitchen
        • Every Day Things
        • Techy Stuff
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • About CCWT
    • FAQs
    • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
    • Blogging Resources
    • Cookbooks
    • Cool Stuff
    • Kitchen Appliances
    • Kitchen Tools
  • Privacy

Can Cook, Will Travel logo

You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dishes / Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese

February 14, 2014 By Kelli Wallace Leave a Comment

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
(This Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese recipe can be found on the site Julia’s Album here.)
Step by Step Instructions:

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
You too can enjoy Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese with the following ingredients: Salt, your favorite Elbow Pasta (I like this larger-sized macaroni called Gobetti), White Cheddar Cheese, Gruyere Cheese, Bacon (8 strips), Milk (I used almond milk and was a little nervous if it would work and it totally did), 3 medium or large Onions, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Heavy Whipping Cream, Cayenne Pepper, and Paprika (I used this Smoked Paprika, which was great).

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
I decided to bake my bacon so my stovetop wasn’t full. I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, put the bacon on a rack to help it crisp up a bit better, and baked it until it was crispy (that took about 25 minutes, I’d say).

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Then I sliced the 3 onions by cutting off the ends, removing the outside layer, cutting it down the middle and slicing as you see above.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Then grab a large pan and turn the heat to high. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Once the oil was hot, add the onions and (carefully) stir these non-stop for 10 minutes. Also while the onions cooked, I got a pot of water boiling for the pasta.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Here are the onions after 10 minutes. Be sure you’re stirring constantly, and turn the heat to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. You can even see the steam from how hot the pan is. That’s really how you get such a pretty golden color.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
When the water was boiling, I cooked the pasta according to the package instructions.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
The onions are brown and smelling delightful at the 20 minute mark. Add a pinch of salt and turn the heat to low or medium-low. Cook for another 10 minutes. You will only have to stir occasionally at this point.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
The bacon was nice and crispy so I let it cool a bit…

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
…and then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let them finish cooling.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and run cold water over it. Let it sit for a few minutes and then you’ll get back to it.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
After a total of 30 minutes of cooking the onions, remove the pan from the heat. Then add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and stir so that the vinegar is well incorporated.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Here are the onions in their caramelized glory! Yum! Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese is about to be yours…Okay…moving on!

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
One great tip that I got from Giada was to put the cheese in the freezer for a bit if it’s a softer cheese like Gruyere or Gouda, for example. It makes it much easier to grate. I grated 1 cup of the White Cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of the Gruyere.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
In an effort to reduce dishes, I used the same pot I cooked the pasta in and put in 2/3 cup of cream and 1/3 cup of milk. Again I used almond milk here, but it worked great. I was afraid it might add a weird taste to the sauce, but it really didn’t…hooray! And also add the cheese to the pot. Turn the heat to medium and stir until the cheese is nearly melted.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Don’t forget to chop that glorious bacon!

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Then add ground pepper, cayenne, and/or paprika to the sauce to your taste level. I like a kick, and wanted to be sure I didn’t have an almond milk flavored sauce, so I added plenty of each.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Add the pasta to the sauce and cook it for about 3-5 minutes.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
Time for the heavy hitters…add in the chopped bacon and caramelized onions and stir it up and then mop up the drool, because this dish will smell AMAZING! Serve this Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese up right away and enjoy…I know I sure did! And I think the leftovers may have been even better. Happy caramelizing friends!

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
50 mins
 
This is the perfect macaroni and cheese dish when you're wanting to really treat yourself. So crazy good!!
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3 Onions, medium or large, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 8 strips of Bacon (prosciutto or pancetta)
  • 8 oz Elbow Pasta
  • ⅔ cup Heavy Cream
  • ⅓ cup to ⅔ cup Milk (or more – for more or less creaminess)
  • 1 cup freshly shredded sharp White Cheddar Cheese
  • ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt (or more – to taste)
  • Cayenne Pepper, to taste
  • pinch of Paprika, to taste
  • Ground Pepper, to taste
Preparation Instructions
  1. Begin by cooking your bacon. I opted for the oven at 350 degrees until it's crispy just so I didn't have an additional pan on the stove.
  2. Then it's time to caramelize the onions. You'll grab a large skillet and heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Once the oil is hot add the onions. Stir constantly for 10 minutes. The onions will browning nicely and shouldn't burn if you're stirring frequently. After 10 minutes turn the heat down to medium and continue stirring very regularly. Then add a pinch of salt and turn the heat down to medium or low heat and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will cool for a total of 30 minutes. Then remove from the heat and add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and stir until the vinegar is well incorporated.
  3. While the onions are going, get a pot of water boiling for the pasta and then cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Then drain the pasta and run cold water over it and set aside until you're ready for it.
  4. Once the bacon is cooked, chop it into small pieces.
  5. All that is left is to make the sauce. In a large sauce pan heat the cream and milk over medium heat along with the cheeses. Once the cheese is nearly melted, add the pasta and cook for 3-5 minutes. Then in goes the onions and bacon. Stir and serve! You can also add more shredded cheese over the dish when serving to take it over the top!
3.5.3208

 

 

0

Subscribe To My Newsletter!

Ready to get weekly recipes, cooking tips, and more delivered straight to your inbox? Perfect! Sign up here and you're in.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Filed Under: Main Dishes Tagged With: Bacon, Bacon and Caramelized Onion Macaroni and Cheese, Gruyere Cheese, Mac 'n Cheese, Onions, White Cheddar Cheese

Previous Post: « Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken Couldn’t Be Easier!
Next Post: Swoon-worthy Caramelized Onion and Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi and welcome! I'm Kelli, a Midwestern girl at heart who loves to cook and travel (of course). This blog chronicles my journey to rediscover my passions and share them with all of you. From cooking & baking to travel & inspiration, I have tons of interests that I can't wait to share with you! Learn More…

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Welcome to Can Cook, Will Travel!

Never miss another delicious recipe again!

Get weekly newsletters in your inbox with new recipes, features & more! Plus subscribe now for my must-have kitchen tools guide!

You have Successfully Subscribed!




Take my survey, Pretty Please!

Survey Says_Small




Archives

Bloglovin

Footer

Stay Connected

  • Bloglovin
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr

Instagram

Instagram did not return a 200.

CanCookWillTravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. All thoughts and opinions are 100% our own.

Copyright © 2011–2025 Can Cook, Will Travel | All Rights Reserved