Macaroni and Cheese with Pancetta and Caramelized Onions

Macaroni and Cheese with Pancetta and Caramelized Onions is an Italian-American version of our favorite mac and cheese casserole. This one is made with a mixture of three cheeses, some light cream, crispy pancetta, and caramelized onions. Then it is baked with shredded mozzarella on top.  It’s delicious, light in texture, and loaded with flavor! 

Originally published in 2015 and now with more in-depth descriptions, clearer instructions, we hope you will enjoy all the new features in this recipe post!

Best of all, this recipe is perfect to serve family and friends for all gatherings and game nights. You can easily prep this mac and cheese casserole in the morning, wrap and chill, then bake when company arrives.

If you love casseroles for dinner, then don’t miss our easy Ravioli Bake Casserole, Baked Long Fusilli Casserole (Baked Spaghetti), and Tortellini Mac and Cheese. These are just as popular as the macaroni and cheese with pancetta and caramelized onions.

Tell Us About This Macaroni and Cheese with Pancetta and Caramelized Onions

INGREDIENTS: This mac and cheese is unique. It’s more like an Italian-American casserole, featuring Italian bacon, such as pancetta, along with caramelized onions. The mixture of cheeses adds a bonus. While mozzarella, mild cheddar, and Gruyère contribute a pleasant mild flavor, they also create the luscious creamy texture that everyone loves and expects from mac and cheese.

FLAVOR: The flavors are amazing in this mac and cheese! The pancetta added a nice smoky flavor, not too overpowering. The bonus to our mac and cheese with pancetta is the wonderful flavor of caramelized onions.  YES… Caramelized onions add a rich flavor to our mac and cheese.  You’ll notice the difference right away!

THE TEXTURE: The texture is light and fluffy, while it’s creamy too. To make it lighter in calories and texture, I decided to add half-and-half instead of heavy cream or butter. 

THE TIME: I added each ingredient directly into the baking dish, then combined the mixture and baked. This not only saves some time, but also helps clean up to be less of a fuss.

Recipe Tips

• This recipe calls for only 2 cups of elbow pasta. And, it was just the right amount for my 7 x 11-inch baking dish.
• With this recipe, you can double the ingredients for a larger casserole and more servings.
• Also, if you prefer, you can add additional cheeses or any shredded cheeses you have on hand.
• And, I easily mixed everything directly into my casserole dish, instead of a mixing bowl, making clean up so much easier.

Ingredients You Will Need:

For this macaroni and cheese with pancetta and caramelized onions, you will need the following ingredients:

• Elbow Pasta – We prefer elbow pasta with this recipe. And, of course, you can use gluten-free small pasta as well.
• Pancetta – we prefer Italian bacon, called pancetta. You can find it in packages in your Deli section, and it comes already chopped.
• Onions – you can use any yellow or sweet onions with this recipe, and you will need about 2 to 3 onions.
• Olive Oil – you will need some olive oil to sauté and caramelize the onions in a skillet. You can also try our new recipe for Caramelized Onions in the Oven, as a new way and a hands-free way to make them.
• Shredded Cheeses – I used mild shredded cheddar cheese, some Gruyere, and shredded mozzarella on top.
• Light Cream – For this recipe, I used half and half and enough of it to make this mac and cheese creamy, delicious, but not overpowering.
• Seasonings – Some salt and black pepper are all you will need for this recipe.
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray – Some olive oil cooking spray is needed for the baking dish; no need to butter it, making it less work.

 

How To Make Macaroni and Cheese with Pancetta and Caramelized Onions?

If this is your first time making this mac and cheese casserole, no worries, it is relatively easy. First, gather all your ingredients. Plus, our full recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, let’s go over the steps so you can understand what’s involved before you start.

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180C).  Lightly spray all four sides of a (7 x 11) medium-sized casserole dish with cooking spray and set it aside.

2.  In a medium saucepan, cook the elbow pasta in boiling water with 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cook pasta for about 5 to 7 minutes until “al dente.” Then drain.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the pancetta until fully cooked and crispy.  Drain and discard the fat. Transfer the cooked bacon to a 7 x 11 baking casserole dish.

4.  In the same skillet, add olive oil and sauté the onions for about 5 to 7 minutes, over moderate heat until onions are tender and golden brown.  Transfer onions to the baking dish.

5.  Using a wooden spoon, transfer the cooked elbow pasta to the baking dish.  

6.  Next, add about 1+1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella (reserve the other 1/2 cup for topping), along with the cheddar cheese, Gruyere cheese, and fresh cracked black pepper.  Then pour in the half-and-half.

 

7.  Give it a good stir and mix until everything until well combined.

8. Bake, uncovered, for the first 20 minutes. Remove and stir gently. Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella. Then return to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is completely melted.  Remove and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6

 A Delicious Casserole for Dinner

Your family and friends will adore our mac and cheese with pancetta and caramelized onions! This is such a delicious mac and cheese casserole.  Everyone gave me a thumbs up, even my daughter, who is a picky eater, loved it! I was so happy it turned out well.  After all,  I created this recipe myself and was very happy with the outcome!  And so will you!

The best part is taking leftovers (if any) for lunch the next day!

Enjoy!

More Recipes for Mac and Cheese!

• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Easy Pimento Mac and Cheese
• Best Shrimp Mac and Cheese

 

Hi friends! Are you cooking or baking with us?  If you make our mac and cheese with pancetta and caramelized onions, let us know and leave a comment and a star rating below!  We’d love to hear from you. 🙂 Snap a photo and share it on Instagram or Pinterest! We love to see what you’ve cooked.

Have a Delicious Day! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!  🙂

 xo Anna and Liz