If you follow me on Instagram, then you know that this recipe was born out of a hilarious grocery blunder. Long story short – I get my groceries delivered when I’m too busy to run to the store, and I had 2 onions in my order. For whatever reason, my Instacart shopper interpreted that as 2 lb of onion, so I got 6. We try not to waste anything, so I wanted to do something with those onions – so I got to testing and that’s how this French Onion Pasta came to be!
We should all collectively thank that Instacart shopper because this is one of the best things I’ve ever made (at least according to my husband). It literally tastes like french onion soup (cheese and all), but with the texture of pasta – truly a bowl of comfort and deliciousness. It’s also a one-pot recipe, so minimal dishes when you’re done!
Making French Onion Pasta
This pasta is all made in one pot, which means less dishes – yay! It’s also worth noting that I use corn starch to thicken this a little bit, so you can totally make it gluten free. Just substitute the pasta for your favorite gluten free pasta and adjust cooking time as needed. To make this tasty pasta, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Yellow onions, thinly sliced
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Fresh thyme
- Balsamic vinegar
- Corn starch
- Beef broth (or vegetable broth if you want to make it vegetarian)
- Water
- Dried bow ties or other short cut pasta (I wouldn’t recommend a spaghetti or anything)
- Shredded Parmesan
- Shredded Gruyere
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme for serving
First, you’ll heat oil in a pan (I recommend something with higher sides like a small stock pot since you’ll end up cooking your pasta in it too). Once your oil is hot, add your onions and saute them until they’re brown and caramelized (this will likely take 20-25 min, but that’s the longest part, promise!). Add garlic and thyme and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Then, you’ll add the balsamic to deglaze the pan and scrape up all that yummy onion and garlic flavor, and add the corn starch to thicken it up a bit.
Next, add your broth and water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta in and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes (and most of the liquid should be absorbed). Add in shredded parmesan and gruyere and mix to combine and get things all cheesy. Finish with a sprig of fresh thyme and enjoy immediately! Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. Enjoy!
French Onion Pasta
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 3.5 cups beef broth or vegetable broth
- 1.5 cups water
- 16 oz dried bow ties or other short cut pasta
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fresh thyme for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a hearty pinch of salt and a bit of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and caramelized. This will take about 25 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the balsamic to deglaze the pan and add the corn starch. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Pour in your stock and water. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded parmesan and gruyere cheeses. Mix well to get things all cheesy. Serve warm and enjoy.
4 thoughts on “French Onion Pasta”
This was so easy and was excellent, will definitely make it again
So glad to hear you enjoyed!
Love this recipe! Second time making this one after my husband said it’s his new favorite meal prep! We both are a fan. Great flavor and perfect for reheating. I modify slightly for macros but still so tasty!
So glad to hear you’re both a fan! Thanks for the kind words 🙂