French Onion Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time:15 minutes Cook Time:1 hour 20 minutes Total Time:1 hour 35 minutes Servings: 8

Mashed potatoes with the flavours of French onion soup including the caramelized onions and plenty of melted gruyere cheese!

ingredients

For the caramelized onions:

1 tablespoon oil
2 pounds onions, sliced
1 cup beef broth (or water)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce

For the mashed potatoes:

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cream, room temperature
1 cup gruyere, shredded

directions

For the mashed potatoes:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions are a deep brown caramelized, about 60 minutes. Add a splash of broth when brown bits start to form on the bottom of the pan, scraping them up as the broth sizzles.
Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce and cook for a minute.

For the mashed potatoes:

Place the potatoes and garlic in a large pot, cover in water, bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and garlic well, mash by hand and mix in the caramelized onions, butter, cream and gruyere and let the cheese melt.

Option: Use a different melty cheese.
Option: Reserve some of the caramelized onions and sprinkle them on top for visual effect.
Option: Garnish with melted butter.
Option: Garnish with thyme.
Tip: Caramelize the onions ahead of time and store in the fridge.