Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Chili Oil

Ingredients

• 8 oz Thin spaghetti, dry
• 1 White onion (large, thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 4 tbsp Butter (divided)
• 4 Garlic (cloves, pressed or finely minced)
• 1.5 tbsp Chili crisp (1–2 tbsp, depending on desired heat; plus more for serving)
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 0.667 cup Half-and-half (For a dairy-free version, coconut milk can be used.)
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 0.5 tsp Garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper
• 0.5 cup Parmesan (freshly grated)
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)
• Salt (for the pasta water; lightly salt the onions at the beginning)
• 0.5 cup Pasta water (reserve when draining; use only as needed to loosen the sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining; drain the pasta.

2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.

3. 3

   Add the thinly sliced onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, until softened and lightly caramelized.

4. 4

   Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and the pressed or minced garlic to the onions. Cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant.

5. 5

   Stir in the chili crisp, soy sauce, and honey until well combined.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.

7. 7

   Let the sauce simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.

8. 8

   Stir in the Parmesan until melted and the sauce is smooth.

9. 9

   Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until fully coated with the sauce. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.

10. 10

    Garnish with additional chili crisp oil and fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

Notes

Let the sauce simmer gently and do not reduce it too quickly; it will continue to thicken as it cools. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of milk or cream. Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables. In the source text, the stated “30 minutes” conflicts with the structured recipe times totaling 35 minutes; the structured times apply here.

Nutrition per serving

• Dinner
• Main course
• Pasta
• vegetarian
• with dairy
• quick
• one-pan sauce
• savory