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–+ servings
A serving of French onion pasta with caramelized onions, garnished with fresh parsley.

French onion pasta

A comforting pasta that transforms the flavors of French onion pasta into a creamy, cheesy dinner. Caramelized onions, beef broth, and Gruyere combine with pasta for an indulgent yet family-friendly meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Broil 3 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, French-Inspired
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large Yellow onions - Thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted butter - For caramelizing
  • 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 2–3 sprigs Fresh thyme - Leaves only
  • 1 tsp Brown sugar - Optionalenhances sweetness
  • 12 oz Short pasta - Penne rigatoni, or shells
  • ½ cup Dry white wine - Substitute with broth if needed
  • 2 cus Beef broth - Low-sodium preferred
  • 1 cup Heavy cream - Or half-and-half
  • 1 tsp Salt - To taste
  • ½ tsp Black pepper - Freshly ground
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese - Freshly grated
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese - Grated
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese - Shredded
  • 2 tbsp Fresh chives - For garnish
  • ¼ tsp Red pepper flakes - Optional heat

Equipment

  • 1 Large skillet or Dutch oven (For onions and sauce)
  • 1 Large pot (To cook pasta)
  • 1 Wooden spoon (For stirring)
  • 1 Cheese grater (For Gruyere and mozzarella)
  • 1 Sharp knife (For slicing onions)
  • 1 Baking sheet or oven-safe pan (For broiling cheese topping)

Method
 

  1. Slowly cook sliced onions in butter until they turn golden brown, soft, and jammy.
    Thinly sliced onions cooking in a skillet with spices and sugar, starting to turn golden.
  2. Add garlic, thyme, wine, broth, and cream to create a rich, smooth sauce.
    Onions slowly caramelizing in butter with fresh thyme sprigs, stirred with a wooden spoon.
  3. Cook pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente, reserving some water.
    Spaghetti coated in a rich, golden sauce cooking in a pan, seasoned lightly with black pepper.
  4. Toss pasta with onion sauce, adding reserved water to achieve silky texture.
    A bubbling skillet of creamy French onion pasta topped with melted golden cheese and sprinkled with fresh herbs.
  5. Fold in Gruyere, top with mozzarella, broil until bubbly, then garnish to serve.
    A serving of French onion pasta with caramelized onions, garnished with fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Serving: 300gCalories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 20gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1100IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 320mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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