Creamy caramelized onion mac and cheese with Fontina cheese, tender asparagus tips, and tangy fresh marjoram. Jump to recipe.
When you make a living writing about seasonal ingredients, or if you just really like to eat them, early spring can be brutal. Surely you, like me, have had your fill of turnips and rutabagas. Even citrus feels played. Although it’s mid-April and the world is abloom, we bide our time because food grown in the Virginia earth this year just isn’t here yet.
Soon Virginia will be swimming in asparagus – we have a long, completely delicious crop each year. And when it comes, I’ll be ready with this creamy mac and cheese brimming with caramelized red onions, tender asparagus tips, and the tang of fresh marjoram leaves.
Creamy baked Fontina mac and cheese with caramelized red onions, tender asparagus tips, and tangy, herbaceous marjoram.
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
- 1 large red onion , sliced thin
- 3 sprigs plus 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram , minced, divided
- sea salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 6 cups 1 1/2 pounds Wisconsin fontina cheese, shredded
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Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter. When melted, add sliced onion, marjoram sprigs.pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, until onions caramelize.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Butter deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
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Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Blanche asparagus spears for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from water with tongs, immerse spears in ice water and set aside. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente. Drain and set aside.
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Meanwhile, drain and chop cooked asparagus into 1 – 2-inch segments.
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Heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and pinch of sea salt. Cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and gradually stir in fontina, reserving 2 tablespoons.
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Add cheese sauce to cooked pasta and fold in caramelized onions and chopped asparagus. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Top with reserved 2 tablespoons fontina.
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Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until filling is bubbling and top is golden brown.
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Garnish with reserved teaspoon minced marjoram. Serve immediately.
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This looks wonderful- heading over to check it out! I’m definitely looking forwards to asparagus season this year 🙂
-Kelsey
Me too, Kelsey! I have a plant I’ve been eyeing and I think they’re just about ready here in VA.
WE ARE SO CLOSE TO ALL THE FRUITS AND GREENS. Just gotta make it through these last few weeks. I think I saw rhubarb last week??? Maybe???
PS — love this mac & cheese. Love it.
You’re so right Michelle. I was sure the rhubarb would be in here and then couldn’t find it. I NEED some new stuff to eat, ya know? As you said, is super close! Thanks for dropping by!
Asparagus is one of my favorite things about spring! And this mac and cheese looks dynamite. Yum, yum, yum! I’ve been mixing fontina in with other cheeses recently too because it melts so well. Thanks for sharing!
Emily, glad to hear you’re on the fontina tip too! I’ve been testing mac recipes like crazy (thanks to a round of totally un-photogenic root veg mac) and have found that fontina makes things crazy creamy. So thrilled you like the recipe! Appreciate the comment.
Love this! Mac & Cheese (of all kinds) is my fave.
Beautiful, seasonal meal. Also, I voted for you on Saveur. 🙂
Oh, wow! Thanks SO MUCH, Miachel!!! I really appreciate the support.
This mac and cheese would be my whole world. As much as I’m ok with just pasta and creaminess, I like my pasta dishes to be loaded with bright veggies. Asparagus is one of my seasonal favorites and those caramelized onions, well, that’s just magical.
Totally agree, Brian. If it’s creamy and carb-y, might as well add in a mess of healthy stuff too!
You had me at asparagus and caramelized onions! this looks incredible!
Thanks Kristie!
Just made this today 9.8.24. I decided to try this because my MIL loves Mac and cheese and is always trying different restaurants. I substituted the cheese with a mixture of cheese blends because the fontina cheese is really expensive here in oregon and rhe recipe calls for 6 cups. I would make it again but not substitute. Also I don’t care for the flavor of Marjoram. Needs additional seasoning like garlic salt. Adding bacon would be good too.