One-Pot Caramelized French Onion Pasta

Ingredients

• 12 oz rigatoni or another short pasta
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large yellow onions (Sliced)
• 5 cloves garlic (Minced; use fresh garlic)
• 3 tsp fresh thyme (Chopped; reserve additional fresh thyme for garnish if desired)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 0.3333333333333333 cup cooking wine (Source specifies 1/3 cup; quantity is left unstructured because cooking wine type and measurement handling are ambiguous)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze or vinegar (Optional)
• 3 cup beef stock
• 1 cup water (Additional splash may be used if onions catch while caramelizing)
• 0.333 cup heavy cream (Room temperature)
• 1.5 cup Gruyère cheese or sharp white cheddar (Grated; Gruyère is recommended. Stir 1 cup into the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
• fresh thyme for garnish (To garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the onions, mince the garlic, and measure out the salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, and chopped fresh thyme.

2. 2

   Place a deep, oven-safe pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and olive oil and heat until hot.

3. 3

   Add all of the sliced onions and stir to coat them in the butter and oil.

4. 4

   Cook the onions low and slow until caramelized, golden, and sweet, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. If they begin to catch, add a small splash of water. The source does not specify an exact caramelization time.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic, chopped thyme, salt, black pepper, oregano, and rosemary to the caramelized onions. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour in the cooking wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the wine has mostly disappeared.

7. 7

   Add the Worcestershire sauce and, if using, the balsamic glaze or vinegar.

8. 8

   Turn the oven to broil in preparation for finishing the pasta.

9. 9

   Add the beef stock, water, and pasta to the pan. Stir thoroughly so the pasta is covered by the liquid.

10. 10

    Increase the heat until the liquid comes to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 6–8 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has evaporated.

11. 11

    Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the room-temperature heavy cream and 1 cup of the grated cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.

12. 12

    Top the pasta with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese.

13. 13

    Broil for 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

14. 14

    Garnish with fresh thyme and serve hot.

Notes

The source does not specify an exact time for caramelizing the onions. Use a deep oven-safe pan suitable for broiling. Cooking wine is listed without a defined type; Worcestershire sauce may contain fish and gluten.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• one-pot
• vegetarian-option
• broiled
• comfort-food
• cheesy
• French-onion-inspired