One-Pot French Onion Pasta
November 9, 2023
French Onion Soup meets French Onion Pasta.
If you’re looking for a comforting, rich, one-pot meal, this French Onion Pasta is it. Inspired by the traditional flavors of French onion soup, this recipe is worth indulging in. Although cooking the onions requires patience, I promise the depth of umami flavor it adds to the pasta is worth it. The hardest part is chopping the onions. It will literally bring you to tears, pun intended.
Table of Contents
What are caramelized onions?
Caramelized onions are a delicious, sweet and savory condiment made by cooking onions over low heat until they turn golden brown and develop a rich, sweet flavor. Caramelized onions add a depth and complexity to a wide range of recipes. Thankfully, they are easier to make than you think.
Ingredients notes.
Onions
Traditionally, sweet onions or Walla Walla are recommended due to their mild flavor but yellow onion works well too.
Pasta
Any pasta shape works fine. I really enjoy fun shapes like farfalle.
Water
Because this recipe is one-pot meal, the pasta is directly cooked in the sauce. Water is essential.
Parmesan
Not only does parmesan thicken the sauce but it adds a nutty flavor to this dish.
Beef Broth
While traditional French onion soup uses beef broth for its flavor, you may substitute this pasta recipe with vegetable or mushroom broth but keep in mind that the substitution may alter the overall flavor profile.
Heavy Cream
Heavy cream adds a richness and creaminess the pasta sauce.
Garlic
Garlic adds a robust and aromatic flavor in contrast to the onions. The more, the better. I always say measure with your heart.
Thyme
Thyme is a versatile herb that adds depth and earthy flavor to this onion pasta.
How to measure pasta.
Something as simple as measuring the right servings of pasta in a recipe really does make a difference. It affects the pasta to sauce ratio. Too much pasta can dilute the sauce and too little pasta can make it overwhelming. Pasta is typically measured at 2 ounces per serving. Short pasta, like fusilli, penne, is usually equal to 1/2 cup when measured dry.
An overview of French onion pasta.
Cut, cook and caramelize the onions
Melt butter and heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or skillet. Add onions to the pan. Cook slowly over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Be patient as the onions cook. Once the onions have caramelized from its natural sugars, deglaze the pan with white wine.
Add broth and uncooked pasta
This recipe is popular for many reasons and one of those is that it is made all in one pot! Once the onions have caramelized, add the broth and uncooked pasta. Simmer until most of the broth is absorbed and reduced.
Add heavy cream and parmesan
These two ingredients bring together the overall flavor pallet of this recipe. It also adds an extra level of creaminess. Stir to combine and enjoy by the bowl full.
How to store leftovers.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. Consume within 2-3 days for optimal freshness. Reheat in the microwave at 15 second intervals or on the stovetop in a small saucepan until warm.
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One-Pot French Onion Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups small pasta mini farfalle, pastina or orceccheiette
- 4 large yellow onions finely sliced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano plus additional for garnish
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or substitute with 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- To a large pan, drizzle olive oil and add butter. Then add thinly sliced onions. Cook on medium-low for 30-40 minutes until golden and caramelized, stirring frequently. Once caramelized, deglaze with a splash of white wine. Add fresh thyme leaves and the stem, garlic. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.4 large yellow onions, 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup white wine
- Add uncooked pasta and beef broth. Simmer on medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes or so until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir frequently.2 cups small pasta, 3 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 cups beef broth
- Remove the thyme stems. Add the heavy cream and Parmesan. Add back any leaves that didn’t fall off during cooking. Stir to combine and cook a few minutes just enough to melt the cheese and bring the sauce to a simmer.1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- Garnish with additional thyme and parmesan. You can easily make a protein on the side, like Italian sausage, salmon or chicken to turn this into a complete meal.
Nutrition
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
Nutrition Information Disclaimer10 Comments
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Patricia
Hi Megan! Thank you so much for the lovely review. 🙂 We totally agree with you and have changed that on our recipe card. Thank you for the feedback!
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Dae
I’m a regular here on Patricia’s blog and like her other recipes, this one is perfection. Even if you’re not an onion lover, you’re going to love this. We ate it twice already this week and it’s only Wednesday. -
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Marne
This is fenominal, i am a fan. I also added a little bit of lemon zest for Some fresheness. I told my collegeages about this at work and are also fan of this recepy.-
Patricia
Hi Marne, thank you so much! I love the addition of lemon zest and will need to try it next time. 🙂
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Julia
So so delicious, I had seconds. It’s so flavorful and complex, it seems like it would take longer to make but it comes together really easily.-
Patricia
Hi Julia, thank you for your kind comments! This pasta recipe is in our top 5 for a reason. 🙂
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Debbie
This pasta was amazing. I’m always an onion fan in meals all the aroma of caramelizing was heavenly. I did end up adding flour in the onions just before adding milk instead since I had no heavy cream and it still came out saucy and absolutely delicious. Will definitely be making this one again!-
Patricia
Hi Debbie, thank you for sharing your experience! That sounds like a successful and delicious substitution. 🙂
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Absolutely amazing! We just made this tonight, and it was incredible — one of the best dishes we’ve made in a while, and we’re going to rave about it to all our friends!
Our only suggestion would be to add “White wine (optional, for deglazing)” to the ingredient list. We made our grocery run based off of the list, so we ended up having to use water instead to deglaze because we hadn’t seen the reference to wine in the steps (which is definitely our fault!).