Description
One Pot French Onion Pasta is a comforting and delicious weeknight dinner featuring deeply caramelized onions, tender pasta cooked right in the broth, and a rich, creamy cheese sauce combining Gruyère and Parmesan. This French-inspired recipe is easy to prepare in a single pot, making clean-up a breeze while delivering luxurious flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Pasta
- 4 cups beef or vegetable broth
- 8 oz uncooked pasta (fettuccine or linguine recommended)
Finishing Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Caramelize the onions: In a large pot or deep skillet, melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes or until the onions are deeply caramelized and golden brown.
- Add garlic and thyme: Stir in the minced garlic and fresh or dried thyme leaves. Sauté for an additional 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze with balsamic vinegar: Pour in the balsamic vinegar and cook for about 1 more minute, allowing it to reduce slightly and intensify the flavor of the onions.
- Incorporate flour: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onions and stir well to coat. This will help thicken the sauce.
- Add broth and pasta: Slowly pour in the broth while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the uncooked pasta, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook pasta: Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Finish with cream and cheese: Stir in the heavy cream, grated Gruyère, and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Immediately plate the pasta, topping with extra Gruyère if desired, and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- For extra richness, sprinkle additional Gruyère on top and broil for 2–3 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Use vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian.
- This pasta pairs wonderfully with a fresh green salad or crusty bread for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
