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A close-up of a baked pasta dish with spiral noodles topped with melted cheese, breadcrumbs, and a garnish of fresh herbs.
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Caramelized Onion Pasta Recipe

This Caramelized Onion Pasta gives you the French onion soup flavor in a delicious pasta dish. It's both creamy and caramelized, with deliciously deep flavors from the onions.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramelized onion pasta
Servings: 6
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 lbs. white onions thinly sliced
  • 3 teaspoons sea salt separated
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 16 oz. fusilli pasta
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese separated
  • ⅔ cup breadcrumbs
  • Fresh thyme for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium/high heat. Add the onions to the pot and season with ⅕ teaspoons of salt. Toss and saute over medium/low heat for 25-30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes until caramelized and reduced by about half.
    A white pot containing caramelized onions in a light brown sauce on a textured, light-colored surface.
  • Add garlic to the onions and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
  • Deglaze the pot with red wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the remaining salt, Worcestershire sauce, broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
    A hand is pouring brown liquid from a Pyrex measuring cup into a white pot filled with similar brown liquid on a kitchen counter.
  • Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until the pasta is al dente. The pasta will cook, and the sauce should thicken.
    A white pot containing partially cooked rigatoni pasta and bubbling broth, ready to be mixed.
  • Remove the pasta from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to broil.
    A pot filled with cooked rotini pasta mixed with caramelized onions, with a wooden spoon resting on the side.
  • Place the breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet. Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
    A baking sheet filled with an even layer of finely ground, golden-brown crumbs placed on a light-colored surface.
  • Spread the breadcrumbs to the top of the pasta and then top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
  • Transfer the pot to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven.
    A pot of rotini pasta topped with a layer of grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
  • Let the pasta rest for 5-10 minutes, top with fresh thyme, and serve immediately.
    A baked pasta dish in a white pot, featuring rotini pasta covered with melted cheese and garnished with a sprig of fresh herbs on top.

Video

Notes

  • We used white onions, but yellow onions can be used too. Red onions can be used, too, but they will change the color of the pasta.
  • We used fusilli pasta, but you can use any small pasta. For the broth, we used better than bullion paste. We like the flavor and convenience.
  • If you use boxed broth, be sure to taste the sauce for salt. The saltier your broth, the saltier your pasta will be.
  • We used parmesan cheese for the top of the pasta, but you can use gruyere or shredded sharp white cheddar cheese as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g