French Onion Beef Baked Pasta
with Cheesy Panko Topping
- Wheat
- Milk
Browned ground wagyu beef, creamy caramelized onion sauce, and twirly cavatappi pasta make this bistro-worthy recipe feel extra indulgent. Top with a buttery, cheesy panko crust, bake until bubbling, and dig in!
Ingredients
½ ounce
Vidalia Onion Paste
1 unit
Onion
6 ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
20 ounce
Ground Beef
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains: Milk)
½ teaspoon
Dried Thyme
½ cup
Mozzarella Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 ounce
Roasted Onion & Garlic Spread
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
1 tablespoon
Flour
(Contains: Wheat)
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Cooking Steps
Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking dish (9-by-13-inch baking dish for 4 servings) with nonstick cooking spray. Wash and dry produce.
Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion.
Place 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until melted, 30-60 seconds. Stir in panko, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef*; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Carefully discard all but a thin layer of beef fat from pan.
Heat pan with reserved beef fat over medium heat. (TIP: If pan seems dry, add a drizzle of oil.) Add onion, half the thyme (all for 4 servings), a pinch of salt, and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and lightly browned, 4-8 minutes. TIP: If onion begins to brown too quickly or unevenly, add ¼ cup water and continue to cook, stirring and gently scraping bottom of pan.
Sprinkle flour over onion mixture; stir to combine. Slowly add cream sauce base, stirring, until flour has dissolved and no lumps remain.
Stir drained cavatappi, cooked beef, Vidalia onion paste, roasted onion and garlic spread, and ¾ cup reserved pasta cooking water into pan with sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until everything is evenly coated and sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. TIP: If pasta seems dry, add splashes of remaining reserved pasta cooking water (or plain water) until desired consistency is reached.
Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish.
Stir mozzarella into bowl with panko mixture.
Sprinkle cheesy panko over pasta and bake on top rack until browned and bubbly, 15-20 minutes.
Divide pasta bake between plates or serve family style directly from baking dish. TIP: Let pasta rest for a few minutes after baking before digging in!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: French onion fans will love the savory, comforting depth here; some found it a touch bland or dry and wished for more sauce 🍲.
- Ease of prep: The steps are manageable, but caramelizing the onions takes 20–30 minutes at low heat — not the 4–8 minutes suggested — so plan accordingly.
- Suggestions: Add extra cream sauce base or reserved pasta water to keep the dish saucy, and consider a sprinkle of sugar when cooking the onions to help them caramelize properly. A little parmesan or extra herbs would boost the overall flavor for those who like a richer finish.
- Leftovers: This bake makes generous portions with plenty left over, and it reheats well — add a splash of water when warming to restore the saucy consistency.
