French onion soup's caramelized onions need 45 minutes of constant stirring—this pasta hack gets identical flavor in 12 minutes.
One-Pot French Onion Pasta
Dive into a delightful twist on a classic favorite with this One-Pot French Onion Pasta! Combining the rich flavors of caramelized onions and gooey Gruyère cheese, this creamy dish is a comforting weeknight winner. Plus, the one-pot magic means you’ll spend less time cleaning and more time savoring every delicious bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This culinary mongrel was born when some brilliant French chef in 1960s Lyon got absolutely hammered on Burgundy and decided to mate their grandmother's onion soup with Italian pasta—because apparently ladling soup over bread wasn't carb-heavy enough, so they swapped the baguette for penne and created this glorious Franco-Italian love child that makes both countries simultaneously proud and mortified.
Regional Twist
In France's Savoie region, they replace the yellow onions with sweet Cipollini onions and swap Gruyere for local Beaufort cheese, creating a mountain version that's richer than a Swiss banker's vault.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (118 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (237 ml) gruyere cheese
- 1 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (118 ml) parmesan cheese
- 500 grams pasta
- 3 large yellow onions
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 6 ½ cups (1.5 L) beef stock
- black pepper (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- fresh thyme (to taste)
- garlic cloves (to taste)
- nutmeg (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- worcestershire sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice the onions and caramelize them low and slow for at least 20 minutes.
- 2
Shred the gruyere and parmesan cheese.
- 3
Once the onions are beautifully rich in color, add the garlic, fresh thyme, nutmeg, and black pepper.
- 4
Deglaze the pan with white wine and worcestershire sauce, scraping the bottom.
- 5
Add the pasta and beef stock, then let it simmer until the pasta is cooked.
- 6
Stir in the heavy cream and cheeses, mix well, and serve topped with extra thyme or parmesan.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize onions at 275-285°F (medium-low heat) for 45-60 minutes to properly break down sugars through the Maillard reaction without burning the fond.technique275-285°F, 45-60 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of beef stock to pasta by weight (6.5 cups stock to 500g pasta) so the starch absorbs liquid while creating natural thickening without becoming gluey.ingredient3:1 ratio by weight
- ✓Deglaze with wine at full heat for 90 seconds to cook off the alcohol (which boils at 173°F) while preserving the acidic compounds that balance the rich onions.timing90 seconds at 173°F+
- ✓Add heavy cream off heat or at lowest setting because temperatures above 180°F cause the proteins to curdle and break the emulsion.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid before draining because the starchy, salty liquid (now at 8-12% starch content) helps bind the cheese into a smooth sauce.technique8-12% starch content
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
French onion soup's caramelized onions need 45 minutes of constant stirring—this pasta hack gets identical flavor in 12 minutes.
One-Pot French Onion Pasta
Dive into a delightful twist on a classic favorite with this One-Pot French Onion Pasta! Combining the rich flavors of caramelized onions and gooey Gruyère cheese, this creamy dish is a comforting weeknight winner. Plus, the one-pot magic means you’ll spend less time cleaning and more time savoring every delicious bite!
The Story
This culinary mongrel was born when some brilliant French chef in 1960s Lyon got absolutely hammered on Burgundy and decided to mate their grandmother's onion soup with Italian pasta—because apparently ladling soup over bread wasn't carb-heavy enough, so they swapped the baguette for penne and created this glorious Franco-Italian love child that makes both countries simultaneously proud and mortified.
Regional Twist
In France's Savoie region, they replace the yellow onions with sweet Cipollini onions and swap Gruyere for local Beaufort cheese, creating a mountain version that's richer than a Swiss banker's vault.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (118 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (237 ml) gruyere cheese
- 1 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (118 ml) parmesan cheese
- 500 grams pasta
- 3 large yellow onions
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 6 ½ cups (1.5 L) beef stock
- black pepper (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- fresh thyme (to taste)
- garlic cloves (to taste)
- nutmeg (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- worcestershire sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice the onions and caramelize them low and slow for at least 20 minutes.
- 2
Shred the gruyere and parmesan cheese.
- 3
Once the onions are beautifully rich in color, add the garlic, fresh thyme, nutmeg, and black pepper.
- 4
Deglaze the pan with white wine and worcestershire sauce, scraping the bottom.
- 5
Add the pasta and beef stock, then let it simmer until the pasta is cooked.
- 6
Stir in the heavy cream and cheeses, mix well, and serve topped with extra thyme or parmesan.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize onions at 275-285°F (medium-low heat) for 45-60 minutes to properly break down sugars through the Maillard reaction without burning the fond.technique275-285°F, 45-60 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of beef stock to pasta by weight (6.5 cups stock to 500g pasta) so the starch absorbs liquid while creating natural thickening without becoming gluey.ingredient3:1 ratio by weight
- ✓Deglaze with wine at full heat for 90 seconds to cook off the alcohol (which boils at 173°F) while preserving the acidic compounds that balance the rich onions.timing90 seconds at 173°F+
- ✓Add heavy cream off heat or at lowest setting because temperatures above 180°F cause the proteins to curdle and break the emulsion.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid before draining because the starchy, salty liquid (now at 8-12% starch content) helps bind the cheese into a smooth sauce.technique8-12% starch content