Cake, Batter, and Bowl

French Onion Phyllo Squares

Main Dishes

French Onion Phyllo Squares

French Onion Phyllo Squares

Sometimes you have to milk an idea for all it’s worth. My French Onion Mac & Cheese is by far the most popular recipe on my blog, so I was recently thinking about what other way I could highlight the same flavors. How about layers of flaky crispy phyllo dough piled between caramelized onions and gooey fontina and asiago cheeses?

Uh huh, these French Onion Phyllo Squares are as good as they sound. Caramelized onions are really one of those ingredients that just make everything better. Yes, I definitely say this every time I mention them on my blog, but it’s just so true! I served the squares with a simple salad for dinner and they reheated really nicely as well. Yay for another fun spin on a classic!

French Onion Phyllo Squares
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Caramelized Onions:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large yellow onions, sliced (9 cups)

Assembly:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
30 13×9-inch sheets of thawed phyllo dough (I cut mine from these 18×14-inch sheets)
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 cup shredded asiago cheese

Directions:
To make the caramelized onions, heat butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large nonstick skillet until butter is melted. Add onions, cover, and cook 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Cool completely to room temperature, about an hour.

To make the squares, heat oven to 350˚F. Prepare and handle phyllo dough according to package directions. Mix butter and olive oil in a small bowl and place 1 sheet of phyllo dough in a 13×9-inch pan; use a pastry brush to lightly evenly coat the sheet of phyllo dough with the butter/olive oil mixture. Repeat until 15 layers of phyllo dough are stacked. Evenly spread cooled caramelized onions on top, then layer 5 more sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with the butter/olive oil mixture. Evenly sprinkle fontina and asiago cheese on top and layer remaining 10 sheets phyllo dough on top, brushing each with the butter/olive oil mixture. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 6 squares. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 528 calories, 32.0g fat, 4.2g fiber, 16.0g protein per serving
Cost: $1.30 per serving

Chicken Salsa Quesadillas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I’m in the lobby of the Bright Angel lodge at the Grand Canyon right now sitting next to the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, and taking advantage of the free internet! Apolinaras and my brother Richard braved a snow and...

Walnut Chicken Strips with Rosemary Cider Sauce

I was a really picky eater growing up, like sort of embarrassingly picky looking back...but I was always up for chicken strips or nuggets. In fact, even if they weren’t on the menu, I’d do my best to find a way to order them. At Chinese restaurants, for example, I...

Eggplant and Orzo Stuffed Red Peppers

Whenever I ask Apolinaras where he’d like to go out to dinner, he inevitability suggests his favorite BBQ place in Boston, Blue Ribbon. I have to admit that I’m a pretty big fan too, and actually just writing this post is making me crave some pulled pork and burnt...

Cheesy Caramelized Onion Tart with a Mashed Potato Crust

When I posted the recipe for my Fiesta Potato Pie a little over a year ago, I got a lot of comments about the fact that I used instant mashed potatoes to make the crust. I know, I know, I don’t normally buy instant mashed potatoes either, but I actually developed...

Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatloaf

Poor meatloaf. I think meatloaf tends to get a bad rap, but I will always have a soft spot for it because it was the first dish I ever made for Apolinaras. I was a baby of 22 and just starting to get comfortable in the kitchen when I invited him over for dinner. We’d...

Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Penne Pasta

I’ve been looking forward to this week for awhile now, because I get to see my good friend Susie not once, but twice, in two different cities! Susie is one of my best friends from college. We initially bonded as partners in organic chemistry lab, where we amused...

Caramelized Shallot Apricot Chicken Pizza

Shannon and I went on a shopping mission a couple months ago in search of mini-cheesecake pans from the Williams Sonoma outlet. We couldn’t find the pans, but the trip wasn’t a complete loss because Shannon scored a gorgeous stainless steel sauté pan and I scooped up...

Avocado Chicken Cakes

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Ours was very relaxing. I finally found our ice cream maker and whipped up a yummy strawberry-mango sorbet. We also had a date at Costco (Am I the only one that considers going to Costco together a date?), and came home...