Caramelized Onion and Braised Mushroom Mac & Cheese Recipe (Shenandoah National Park)

Caramelized onion and braised mushroom mac ‘n’ cheese recipe inspired by: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (alternatively: Great Smoky Mountains National Park or New River Gorge National Park).

From the rain-drenched slopes of the Pacific Northwest to the verdant valleys of the Appalachians, many national parks in America harbor incredible numbers of fungi and mushroom species. Shenandoah National Park, for example, is home to more than 400 species of fungi, which inspired me to create this mushroom mac and cheese recipe.

Flavorful onions caramelized with beer? Savory balsamic braised mushrooms? Perfectly cooked pasta? A creamy sauce bursting with cheese? Yes, please!

Throw it all together and you get an upscale version of one of America’s most popular comfort foods.

Shenandoah Caramelized Onion and Braised Mushroom Mac & Cheese Recipe

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Oven time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Servings: 6-8

I choose Shenandoah National Park as the inspiration for this national park recipe for two reasons. The first one is the above-mentioned abundance of mushrooms in the park. My second reason is that mac and cheese is one of the absolute classic Southern side dishes.

So, a local national park-foraged ingredient that’s used in a regional classic? It doesn’t get any better than that! A great idea if you’re looking for a comfy-cozy weeknight dinner inspired by the national parks.

Note, however, that you don’t need to go mushroom foraging in Shenandoah National Park itself to prepare this onion and mushroom mac and cheese recipe. While you can collect small amounts of edible mushrooms—morels or giant puffballs are popular—for personal use in the park, you could, of course, also swing by your local grocery store and get a variety of fresh mushrooms.

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Necessary Kitchen Tools

• 9 x 13 inch baking pan
• Cast-iron pot (for onions/mushroom mixture and cheese sauce)
• Medium pot (for pasta)
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Cutting boards
• Chef’s knife
• Whisk
• Tablespoon
• Measuring cups

Onion and Mushroom Mac & Cheese Ingredients

• 1 box of elbow pasta
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/4 cup brown or dark beer (optional)
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt, pepper and nutmeg
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Sliced green onions or chopped parsley for garnish

Note 1: As I mentioned above, you don’t need to use Shenandoah-native mushrooms for this recipe. If you want to do that, however, I suggest getting some morels at a grocery store near you. I used a combination of white and portobello mushrooms in my recipe.

Note 2: You could easily make this onion and mushroom mac and cheese recipe without using beer. However, a brown or dark ale, which usually has plenty of spices and flavor in and by itself, will definitely add more depth to this dish. When I made this Shenandoah National Park inspired dish in November—the perfect month for mushrooms and comfort food—I used a seasonal winter ale. Any brown ale or even stout would work, though.

Instructions

Once you’ve prepped all the ingredients for this onion and mushroom mac and cheese inspired by Shenandoah National Park, it’s time to get cooking!

There are a few different parts to this recipe, so I’ll outline the steps for each separately below. I recommend reading through the entire onion and mushroom mac and cheese recipe before starting.

Pasta

1. Cook pasta in medium pot according to instructions on the box.
2. Start working on the other elements below while the pasta cooks.
3. Drain and set aside.

Beer Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Braised Mushroom Mixture

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in the cast-iron pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and beer, if using.
3. Stir regularly until almost all liquid has evaporated and onions are a deep brown color, about 15 minutes. (If not using beer, you might want to add a tablespoon of water at a time to prevent sticking/burning.)
4. Add mushrooms and balsamic vinegar, stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
5. Add garlic and thyme, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
6. Pour onion and mushroom mixture into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Cheese Sauce

1. In the same cast-iron pot, heat 1/4 cup of butter over medium-high heat.
2. When melted, whisk in the flour until well mixed, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly and simmering until the mixture is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes
4. Add cheese and stir until melted.
5. Season generously with salt and pepper, add a pinch of nutmeg.

Assemble Onion and Mushroom Mac and Cheese

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Mix the drained pasta, onion and mushroom mixture, and cheese sauce in the baking pan.
3. Taste and, if necessary, add more salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle a handful of breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on top.
5. Broil for about 10 minutes until sauce is bubbly and top is crispy.
6. Garnish with green onions or parsley.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Check out more national park-inspired recipes here!

If You Decide to Make This Savory Shenandoah National Park-Inspired Onion and Mushroom Mac and Cheese Recipe at Home, Feel Free to Tell Everyone About It Below! Happy Cooking!

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