Caramelized Onion Pasta

Ingredients

• 5 small yellow onions (Thinly sliced; use either five small onions or three large onions.)
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (Chopped, preferably packed in oil; some of the oil or reserved sun-dried-tomato juice is used for drizzling.)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt (Plus additional salt for the pasta water, as needed.)
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 bulb garlic (Place the whole bulb in the center of the onion mixture; roast until soft, then squeeze out the cloves.)
• olive oil or sun-dried-tomato oil (Enough to generously drizzle the onion mixture before roasting.)
• 3 cup farfalle pasta (Dry bow-tie pasta.)
• fresh parsley (One handful, chopped.)
• 0.5 cup coconut milk (Full-fat coconut milk was used in the transcript.)
• fresh basil (A small amount, chopped.)
• 1 lemon juice (Juice of one lemon.)
• 1 cup reserved pasta water (Reserve after cooking the pasta; add as needed to loosen the sauce.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a large baking dish or oven-safe skillet.

2. 2

   Thinly slice five small yellow onions or three large yellow onions. Add them to the baking dish, removing some if the dish is too crowded. The onions will shrink substantially as they roast.

3. 3

   Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, paprika, black pepper, salt, and dried parsley flakes to the onions. Toss thoroughly so the seasonings are distributed throughout.

4. 4

   Trim the top of the garlic bulb enough to expose the cloves, then place the bulb cut-side up in the center of the onion mixture.

5. 5

   Generously drizzle the onions and garlic with olive oil or oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.

6. 6

   Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the foil, toss the onions and tomatoes, then cover the dish again and return it to the oven for the remaining 30 minutes. The onions should be very soft and caramelized.

7. 7

   About 20 minutes before the onions finish roasting, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook according to the package directions until al dente.

8. 8

   Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

9. 9

   Remove the roasted onion mixture from the oven. The garlic will be extremely hot, so handle it carefully. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves from the bulb into the onions and tomatoes, discarding the papery skin.

10. 10

    Add the chopped fresh parsley, coconut milk, and chopped fresh basil to the roasted onion mixture. Stir until the coconut milk is incorporated and the mixture becomes saucy.

11. 11

    Add the cooked farfalle to the baking dish and toss until the pasta is coated. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a loose, glossy consistency.

12. 12

    Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the pasta and toss again. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed.

13. 13

    Serve immediately while hot, spooning the caramelized onions and sauce generously over each portion.

Notes

The transcript gives an oil instruction as a generous drizzle rather than a measured quantity, so the nutrition estimate assumes approximately 1 tablespoon of oil. Take care when squeezing the roasted garlic because it will be very hot. The creator reserved about 1 cup of pasta water but may not need all of it.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegan
• dairy-free
• meat-free
• plant-based
• baked
• comfort food