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

CABLT (aka Chicken, Avocado, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato) Sandwiches

I thought it would be fun to share a little pregnancy update today! I’m somehow already 34 weeks along – how crazy is that? Our little girl is very active and loves to kick and squirm around, especially after dinner when I’m relaxing. Apolinaras’ voice always seems to...

Shrimp Tacos with Corn Salsa

There are some things I never pass up and one of them is corn on the cob. I will eat it anytime, anywhere, even if I don’t have any floss with me. The deliciousness is definitely worth having a few annoying pieces stuck in my teeth! Of course, fresh summer corn is...

Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza

When it comes to pizza, I’m a crust girl. It can make or break a pie for me and I will often scavenge up extra pieces of crust from my crazy family members who are somehow not all about the carbs. The very first thing I made with my sourdough starter was this...

Mediterranean Couscous

Some things are just meant to be. A couple of weeks ago I was jogging through Harvard Square when I heard someone calling my name. I was disoriented for a second, but when I turned around, I was surprised to see that it was my friend Rashmi from college – crazy, huh –...

Mexican Polenta Rounds

I just got back from San Diego, where I attended a conference for work. The days were packed with lectures and the hotel was a bit isolated on Coronado Island, so I didn’t actually get to spend any time sightseeing. Good thing I’ve already been to San Diego a couple...

Farfalle with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese Sauce

This pasta has Apolinaras’ name written all over it. I guess you could call him my muse from time to time. He looooves mushrooms and was so happy when I encouraged him to go ahead and put the pricey fresh shitakes in the grocery cart the other day. When I told him I...

Fiesta Potato Pie

I think casseroles, like meatloaf, tend to get a bad rap, which is sad because not all casseroles contain “cream of whatever” soup - many are quite delicious! It’s been chilly, rainy, and depressing in Boston lately so I decided to cheer myself up by making a savory...

Champagne Salmon with Swiss Chard Quinoa

I was super excited when my good friend Eva asked if we would like to use her family’s farm share while they visit her parents in Austria for the next few weeks. Eva is inspirational because she works full time as a pulmonary pediatrician and is raising the two...