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Overhead view of french onion pasta in large skillet with serving spoon.

French Onion Pasta


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This French Onion Pasta is a delicious twist on the classic soup, with rich caramelized onions, tender pasta, cheese and a crispy breadcrumb topping. This recipe is an absolute must try if you love caramelized onions, and we've included substitutions to make it allergy friendly!


Ingredients

Units Scale

Pasta:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter (or vegan butter)
  • 3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 1 pound pasta of choice (gemelli, farfalle, rotini)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2-2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or vegan alternative)

Breadcrumb Topping:

  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan (or vegan alternative)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add onions. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. 
  2. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar and salt and continue cooking, stirring often, for another 15-20 minutes, until the onions are deep golden brown and very soft. If the onions start to burn, reduce heat. 
  3. While the onions are caramelizing, make the breadcrumb topping. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, oil, salt and pepper to the pan and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside. 
  4. Once the onions are caramelized, stir in the garlic, thyme, parsley and pepper and continue cooking for 1 minute. 
  5. Pour in the sherry and white wine to deglaze the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes. 
  6. Add in the pasta (uncooked), broth, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. If the pasta soaks up too much liquid, add in another 1/2 cup water. 
  7. Stir in the cheese and remove from heat. 
  8. Top with toasted breadcrumbs and grated parmesan and serve warm.

Notes

How to slice onions for caramelizing: First, peel the onion and slice off the root end. Slice the onion in half (from root to tip). Place the flat side down on a cutting board. Slice into thin strips (between 1/8-1/4 inch thick). It's important that the onions are evenly sliced, otherwise they will cook at different rates and some may burn or undercook.

Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. If needed, stir in more vegetable broth or water to loosen up the pasta.

Onions: Sweet yellow onions are perfect for caramelizing. You can also use Spanish onions, vidalia onions, walla walla onions, or even white onions in a pinch. 

To stay traditional to French onion soup, sub mozzarella with shredded gruyère. 

Sherry: If you don't have any, sub with more white wine.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: French

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 478
  • Sugar: 8.6 g
  • Sodium: 1013 mg
  • Fat: 12.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 72.5 g
  • Fiber: 4.2 g
  • Protein: 16 g