Nothing’s more satisfying on a cool, crisp autumn day at your campsite than a serving of a hot, delicious French Onion Soup Casserole. This recipe is one of my favorites that I make quite often at home, so it was no surprise when I wanted to attempt to make it out in the desert using my new portable camping oven! If you make this recipe in your own home, please let me know how it comes out and what you thought of it.

**Baked French Onion Soup Casserole**

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 servings):

8 oz. Cremini Mushrooms (HINT: I use Baby Bella mushrooms which, as far as I know, are the same thing)
1 medium-sized Yellow Onion
5 oz. Penne Pasta
5 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream
4 oz. Shredded Swiss Cheese (or Shredded Mozzarella Cheese)
4 tsp. Vegetable Base (HINT: I use two packets of Savory Choice Vegetable Broth Concentrate instead. This is difficult to find in stores in my area, so I ordered a box of packets from Amazon. Here is the link to the broth I used. You get a box with 12 packets in it for around $20. I highly recommend using this particular broth because it is absolutely delicious and really makes the recipe extra special. When you taste it, you will understand what I’m talking about: https://a.co/d/4GG1AyO)
½ oz. Seasoned Croutons (HINT: I use a small handful of seasoned croutons that I’ve coarsely cut in half)
2 Garlic Cloves, minced (HINT: I use bottled, pre-minced garlic. See note in directions)
3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme (HINT: I use dried thyme instead. See note in directions)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper 
Olive Oil
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

1) Preheat oven to 400°F.

2) Rinse, dry, and cut mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices. (HINT: I buy the mushrooms that are already sliced. Saves time!)

3) Halve and peel the onion. Slice halves into thin strips.

4) Mince the two cloves of fresh garlic. (HINT: Instead of using fresh garlic, I use the bottled garlic that’s already pre-minced. Two teaspoons of the pre-minced bottled garlic equals one clove of minced fresh garlic. Therefore, use 4 teaspoons of the pre-minced bottled garlic in this recipe.)

5) Stem the fresh thyme sprigs. Do this by simply grasping the stem between two fingers of one hand. With your other hand, take two fingers and quickly run them down the stem which will cause the leaves to fall right off! (HINT: Using fresh thyme is nice, but I prefer to use dried thyme instead. It’s much more convenient. As I explained in the video, I also really like the flavor of thyme, so I use just under a tablespoon of the dried thyme. You might want to use a little bit less than that if you aren’t sure whether or not you like the flavor of thyme.)

6) Coarsely chop in half the small handful of seasoned croutons.

7) Place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper to hot pan. Cook and stir occasionally until onions and mushrooms are caramelized and deep brown, 10-12 minutes.
While mushroom-onion mixture cooks, cook pasta.

8) Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in large pot. Once water is boiling, add penne pasta and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes.
Drain pasta in a colander, shaking to remove as much water as possible. Set aside.
Reserve pot; no need to wipe clean.

9) Return pot used to cook pasta to medium-high heat. Add heavy whipping cream, vegetable base, half the thyme (reserve remaining half for garnish), half the Swiss cheese (reserve remaining half for topping), cooked pasta, and the mushroom-onion mixture to the hot pot. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until slightly thickened, 2-4 minutes. Remove from burner.

10) Spray an 8-inch square casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour pasta mixture into prepared casserole dish. Top with croutons and remaining Swiss cheese. Bake in a 400°F oven for 10 to 14 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. When done, remove dish from the oven and sprinkle the remaining thyme on top of the casserole. Enjoy!

I’m using the Camp Chef Deluxe Outdoor Csmp Oven for this video. I need to use it a few more times in order to get all the kinks worked out, but I am very happy and pleased with how it performed during this initial run. Here is a link to the oven on Amazon if you’re interested: https://a.co/d/6EaZRhA

Want more camp cooking recipes? Here is a playlist featuring all of the camp cooking videos I’ve done over the last few years:    • Camp Cooking Videos  

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NOTE: This video was shot in stunning 4K resolution! If your viewing device can handle it, be sure to watch this video in 4K to experience cinematic supremacy!
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