Apple Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onions
Apple Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onions
Apple Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onions
Apple Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onions

Apple Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onions

David Venable

Apples in mac & cheese? You heard right! The cheesy noodle goodness complements the apples & onions.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 6 cups onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and medium dice
  • 5 Tbsp flour
  • 3-1/2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 4 cups smoked Gouda, grated
  • 3 cups Muenster cheese, grated and divided
  • 1-1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 lb penne, cooked and cooled

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a 5-qt sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 20–30 minutes. Next, sauté the apples for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the flour until combined.
Pour in the milk. While stirring continuously, let it come up to a slight simmer with the milk thickening. Remove from the heat and add the fresh thyme, Gouda, 1 cup Muenster, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese has fully melted and the mixture is smooth (if needed, put the sauce pot back on low heat until the cheese melts). Fold in the penne.
Pour the mixture into a 13" x 9" casserole dish. Top it with the remaining Muenster cheese.Bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is golden brown.

Cook's Notes

If you have pears on hand, you can swap out the apples for this other fall fruit.