• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kudos Kitchen by Renee

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Backyard BBQ
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Backyard BBQ
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Fast and Easy Dinner Recipes

    Published: Jan 5, 2017 · Modified: Apr 20, 2018 by Renée · This post may contain affiliate links · 19 Comments

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells

    Sharing is caring!

    387 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Everything you love about French onion soup is in these Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells. But now it's in a brand new (yet still incredibly delicious, and cheesy) unexpected form.

    Crave-worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Since my recipe for French Onion Pork Chops is still one of the most popular posts on my blog, I keep trying to reinvent different ways to bring the rich, slightly sweet and savory flavors of deeply caramelized onions smothered in melted cheese to the dinner table in unusual ways. Enter, Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells.

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Imagine if you will, deeply caramelized onions (cooked in a slow cooker) with red wine, butter, beef broth and thyme until they're sweet and pungent. The onions are stuffed into large, perfectly cooked pasta shells until they're practically overflowing.

    The stuffed shells are then layered on top of toasted, garlicky French bread, topped with an abundant mixture of grated Swiss, and Gruyere cheeses, and popped into the oven, so the cheese melts into a blanket of golden, gooey, goodness.

    Be still my French onion loving heart!

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells Recipe - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    As I mentioned earlier, I'm all about the brilliance of French onion deliciousness and have posted many different versions of the caramelized onion and cheese-themed based preparations in the past. Not the least of which are the following recipes for:

    French Onion Pork Chops (that I spoke of earlier):

    French Onions Pork Chop Recipe

    French Onion Pizza:

    French Onion Pizza Recipe - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    And, because everyone loves chicken, Cheesy French Onion Chicken:

    Cheesy French Onion Chicken Recipe - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    As with all of these recipes I've shared the items that remain constant in my creations for French onion fare are the same ones that make French onion soup so iconic and beloved. The base of a substantial, crusty bread, the abundance of intensely flavorful, and perfectly caramelized onions, and of course, the best part of all (in my book) the topping of creamy, melted cheeses.

    As you can see, Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells ticks all those boxes, and adds pasta to boot! Yeah, baby!

    French Onions Stuffed Shells Recipe - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Along with the printer friendly version of this recipe for Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells (which follows shortly), I'm happy to also share with you my step-by-step photo tutorial in case you're a visual learner like I am.

    Ready to get cooking? Good! Let's begin!

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells:

    Add butter and olive oil to a 7-quart slow cooker. Slice 5 large sweet onions and add them to the cooker along with salt and pepper.

    How to make French Onion Stuffed Shells

    To the onions, add beef broth, red wine, and fresh thyme sprigs.

    Making French Onion Stuffed Shells

    Cover and cook on high for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Allow the onions to cool and then place them in containers and refrigerate until ready to stuff the shells.

    Making Caramelized onions in the slow cooker

    Add French bread into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Drizzle the bread with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, and fresh thyme leaves. Meanwhile, cook large pasta shells according to package directions.

    French Onion Stuffed Shells Recipe

    Drain the pasta shells and use a large spoon to generously fill the shells with the cooled, caramelized onions. Place the filled shells in a single layer on top of the prepared French bread.

    Making French Onion Stuffed Shells

    Grate Swiss and Gruyere cheeses and liberally cover the stuffed shells with the grated cheese. Top with additional fresh thyme leaves. Bake uncovered in a preheated 425-degree oven until the cheese is melted and golden and the shells are heated through approximately 30-35 minutes.

    French Onion Stuffed Shells

    Recipe for French Onion Stuffed Shells - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    The following Amazon.com items are some suggested products I've chosen that will aid you in the making (and serving) of this recipe for Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells if needed. By clicking on the item, you'll be taken directly to Amazon.com if you're interested in purchasing any of these products. You are in no way required to do so, and you will not be charged in any way unless you decide to purchase a product through Amazon.

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells

    Renee Goerger
    Everything you love about French onion soup is in these Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells. But now it's in a brand new (yet still incredibly delicious, and cheesy) unexpected form. -
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 9 hrs
    Total Time 9 hrs 20 mins
    Course Main Course or Side Dish
    Servings 6 -8 servings
    Calories 0 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 5 large sweet onions sliced
    • ½ cup beef broth
    • ¼ cup red wine
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon pepper
    • 5-6 fresh thyme sprigs plus 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves
    • 8 slices French bread
    • olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 box large pasta shells cooked according to package directions. Drained.
    • 5 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded
    • 8 ounces Swiss cheese shredded
    • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Add the butter, olive oil, sliced onions, beef broth, red wine, salt and pepper into the slow cooker. Top with the fresh thyme sprigs. Stir well.
    • Cover the cooker and set to high. Cook for 8 hours on high, stirring occasionally.
    • Cool the onions. Remove the thyme sprigs.
    • *Note - The onions can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the casserole.
    • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    • Line a baking dish with sliced French bread.
    • Drizzle the bread with olive oil and evenly sprinkle with garlic powder and half of the fresh thyme leaves.
    • Use a large spoon to liberally fill the cooked and cooled pasta shells with the cooled carmealized onions.
    • Place the stuffed shells on top of the prepared French bread slices.
    • Evenly spread the grated cheeses over the stuffed shells and sprinkle with the remaining fresh thyme leaves.
    • Bake uncovered in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden and the shells are heated through.
    • Serve hot and enjoy!

    Notes

    Tools and equipment:
    7 quart slow cooker
    chefs knife and cutting board
    box grater
    wooden spoon
    casserole dish

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0Calories: 0kcalCarbohydrates: 0gProtein: 0gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 0gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Dinner's ready. Let's eat!

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells - www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Crave-Worthy French Onion Stuffed Shells Recipe - www.kudoskithenbyrenee.com

    Along with my food blog, I also run a small hand painted fabric and glassware business. Below is an example of my hand painted aprons. This is one of my favorite designs because I've always been a huge fan of Julia Child. Maybe you are too?

    Cooking Quote Hand Painted Apron

    I hope you've enjoyed this recipe for French Onion Stuffed Shells as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.

    Should you have any questions regarding this recipe, or anything else you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to contact me directly, or leave me a comment in the comment section below. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back to you with a reply just as soon as I possibly can!

    For additional information regarding my Kudos Kitchen recipes, and/or my hand painted glassware or fabric items, please follow me on;

    FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, YOUTUBE and MY PAINT SHOP

    Kudos Kitchen by Renée ~ Cooking up artistically delicious family-friendly dishes from my Kudos Kitchen to yours!

    Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!

    Kudos Kitchen Brand Signature

     

     

     

    The post above includes affiliate links. When I find a great product or service, I like to share it with my readers. Sometimes I use affiliate links so I can earn commission for my recommendations.  As always, I thank you for your support!

    « Chicken Barley Soup for the Slow Cooker
    Blood Orange Salad with Blueberries and Feta »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Diana says

      January 24, 2017 at 11:02 am

      Just wanted to come back and tell you I cooked it according to your directions and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 24, 2017 at 11:43 am

        I'm so thrilled for you, Diana! There is nothing you could tell me that would make me happier! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know that the recipe was successful for you! You are so welcome!!! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Diana says

      January 19, 2017 at 11:22 am

      Can't wait to make this! Quick question - I've never seen a recipe with 8 hours on high. Should that read 8 hours on low?

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 19, 2017 at 1:20 pm

        Hi Diana,
        I did 8 hours on high because I wanted to get my onions as deeply caramelized as possible. Feel free to turn the cooker down to low and see how the onions are cooked according to your preference. I hope this answers your question.
        Renee

        Reply
        • Diana says

          January 20, 2017 at 5:59 am

          Thank you! How thick did you slice your onions?

          Reply
          • Renée says

            January 20, 2017 at 3:07 pm

            Because they cook so long, the specific size doesn't really matter. That said, I sliced mine between a quarter inch and a half inch. They don't need to be that precise.

            Reply
    3. megunprocessed says

      January 13, 2017 at 1:27 pm

      This is creative! Great pictures.

      Reply
    4. amyengberson says

      January 11, 2017 at 10:06 am

      Gorgeous photos! And I'm absolutely in love with all that cheese!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 12, 2017 at 6:12 pm

        Thank you so much, Amy! I appreciate it, and I'm glad you like all the cheese. Me too 🙂

        Reply
    5. amindfullmom says

      January 10, 2017 at 11:52 am

      Renee--this is an incredible idea for a meal! I love it!

      Reply
    6. Amy Stafford says

      January 07, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      All that ooey-gooey cheese! Looks incredible.

      Reply
    7. Joanie Zisk says

      January 07, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      Goodness, what a unique recipe. I love the idea of stuffing the shells with the delicious cooked onions and then topping it off with mounds of cheese. This has to be absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 12, 2017 at 6:13 pm

        Thank you so much, Joanie. Everything's better with mounds of cheese 😉

        Reply
    8. Krista says

      January 07, 2017 at 10:42 am

      This is such a great idea! I cannot wait to try this out!

      Reply
    9. Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says

      January 07, 2017 at 8:38 am

      I have been drooling over this since I saw it on social media yesterday! 😉 My husband loves French onion soup, so I know he would love these stuffed shells.

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 12, 2017 at 6:14 pm

        Thanks, Carrie! I'm glad to know these made you drool 😉

        Reply
    10. Katerina @ Diethood says

      January 07, 2017 at 4:17 am

      This is absolutely amaaaazing!! I can't wait to try it!!

      Reply
    11. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says

      January 06, 2017 at 10:26 pm

      This recipe is genius and totally crave worthy! I love onion and pasta everything so this is a match made in heaven for me! YUM!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 12, 2017 at 6:14 pm

        Thanks, Sheena! I appreciate it!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    By submitting this comment you agree to share your name, email address, website and IP address with Kudos Kitchen by Renee. This information will not be used for any purpose other than enabling you to post a comment. *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Renee! I've been a passionate home cook for over 40 years. I specialize in easy-to-make comfort food dishes from appetizers to desserts and everything in between.

    More about me →

    Ice Cream Recipes

    • Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops
    • Frozen Greek Yogurt Banana Split
    • Chocolate Cherry Kahlua Ice Cream
    • Baked Alaska for Two

    Side Dish Recipes

    • Make-Ahead Sunflower Crunch Salad
    • French Lentil Salad
    • Old-Fashioned Red Bean Salad
    • German Potato Salad

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. When I find a great product or service I like to share it with my readers. For additional information please view my privacy policy.

    Copyright © 2022 Kudos Kitchen By Renee