Is there anything more cozy and delicious than pasta bakes? They’re maybe my favorite category of winter food. They’re definitely for this time of year when it’s ok to eat all the indulgent foods. This pasta bake is inspired by French onion soup. It begins with caramelizing yellow onions and then cooking some delicious mushrooms. The white sauce  has delicious Gruyere cheese and melty mozzarella. The Dijon mustard adds a nice bite to an otherwise super rich sauce.

The whole pasta is baked with large cubes of buttered bread on top. And surprisingly enough, it doesn’t feel too heavy. The beef broth adds such a deep flavor to this dish but if you’re looking to make it vegetarian, replace it with water or extra milk.

Enjoy your year!

French Onion and Mushroom Pasta Bake

Inspired by the soup, this french onion and mushroom pasta bake is the perfect indulgent recipe for a chilly day. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• Pasta Bake:
• Olive oil 
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
• Kosher salt 
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, sliced 
• 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (from about 3 sprigs) 
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth (or water) 
• 1 1/2 cups milk  
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup grated Gruyere + 1/2 cup grated Gruyere (for the topping) 
• 1 cup grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces) + 1/2 cup grated mozzarella (for the topping) 
• 1 pound of pasta of choice (I used rigatoni) 
• Bread Topping:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups cubed bread

Directions

1. To a medium pot, set over medium-low heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil. When warm, add the sliced onions and a few generous pinches of salt. Mix until the onions are evenly coated with olive oil and cover the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes, mixing every so often to make sure they’re not burning. Cook for an additional 20 minutes, mixing every so often until they’re caramelized, a medium golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in another medium pot, set over medium heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil. When warm, add the mushrooms and mix, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and remove from the pot. 
3. To the same medium pot (no need to wash it out), add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the thyme leaves and flour and mix it together and cook the flour butter mixture for about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and broth in two batches, stirring continuously in between additions. Cook until it thickens up, about 2 to 3 minutes. It’ll start to bubble up and thicken. Give it a good whisk and be sure to get in those corners of the pan to get any floury bits up and mixed in. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 
4. Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt, crushed red pepper, Dijon mustard and a few rounds of pepper. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to taste. Add the grated cheeses and mix them in until they’re melted. Add the reserved caramelized onions and mushrooms. Cover the pot with a lid and set aside. 
5. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package’s instructions, about 9 minutes. 
6. Drain the pasta and then immediately add it to the pot with the cheesy mixture; toss until thoroughly combined. 
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
8. In a medium saucepan, add the butter. When melted add the cubed bread and toss until combined. Add a pinch of two of salt. Pour on top of the pasta bake and transfer to the oven to bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown. 

Yield: 6-8

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.