Italian nonnas caramelize onions for 45 minutes at exactly medium-low heat—any higher temperature creates bitter compounds instead of sweetness.
Creamy Caramelized Onion Pasta
Indulge in a bowl of velvety goodness with our Caramelized Onion Pasta! This delightful dish features sweet, golden onions sautéed to perfection, mingled with rich cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Easy to whip up, it’s a wholesome meal that will have everyone asking for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 4–6 dried tomatoes (coarsely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1–2 white onions (coarsely chopped)
- 1 handful fresh parsley (chopped)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 100ml coconut milk (3.38 fl oz)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
- 50–100ml pasta water (1.69 fl oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 2 tsp sweet paprika (10 ml)
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric (5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 40–50g cashews (soaked in hot water for 10–15 min) (1.41 oz)
- 200g gluten-free farfalle (7.06 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Soak cashews in hot water for 10–15 minutes, then drain.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Mix onions, garlic, dried tomatoes, paprika, turmeric, and olive oil in a baking dish and roast for 20–25 minutes until everything is soft and caramelized.
- 3
Cook pasta: Cook farfalle al dente, reserving some cooking water.
- 4
Blend cashews, coconut milk, and pasta water until smooth.
- 5
Remove roasted vegetables from the oven, fold in cashew-coconut cream and tomato paste. Optionally heat gently to keep it creamy.
- 6
Fold in pasta, lemon juice, and parsley.
- 7
Season with salt and pepper and optionally top with olive oil.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak cashews in 180°F water rather than just hot tap water to break down proteins more effectively, creating a silkier cream base without grittiness.technique180°F water
- ✓Roast onions at exactly 200°C for optimal caramelization - lower temps won't develop Maillard reactions properly, higher temps will burn the sugars before they caramelize.timing200°C
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add it gradually to the cashew blend - the starch content (6-8%) acts as a natural emulsifier for the cream sauce.ingredient6-8% starch content
- ✓Keep the cashew-coconut cream below 70°C when reheating to prevent the coconut milk from breaking and separating due to protein coagulation.techniqueBelow 70°C
- ✓Add lemon juice only after removing from heat - acids will curdle the cashew cream if added while hot, breaking the smooth emulsion.timing
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Italian nonnas caramelize onions for 45 minutes at exactly medium-low heat—any higher temperature creates bitter compounds instead of sweetness.
Creamy Caramelized Onion Pasta
Indulge in a bowl of velvety goodness with our Caramelized Onion Pasta! This delightful dish features sweet, golden onions sautéed to perfection, mingled with rich cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Easy to whip up, it’s a wholesome meal that will have everyone asking for seconds!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 4–6 dried tomatoes (coarsely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1–2 white onions (coarsely chopped)
- 1 handful fresh parsley (chopped)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 100ml coconut milk (3.38 fl oz)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
- 50–100ml pasta water (1.69 fl oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 2 tsp sweet paprika (10 ml)
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric (5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 40–50g cashews (soaked in hot water for 10–15 min) (1.41 oz)
- 200g gluten-free farfalle (7.06 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Soak cashews in hot water for 10–15 minutes, then drain.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Mix onions, garlic, dried tomatoes, paprika, turmeric, and olive oil in a baking dish and roast for 20–25 minutes until everything is soft and caramelized.
- 3
Cook pasta: Cook farfalle al dente, reserving some cooking water.
- 4
Blend cashews, coconut milk, and pasta water until smooth.
- 5
Remove roasted vegetables from the oven, fold in cashew-coconut cream and tomato paste. Optionally heat gently to keep it creamy.
- 6
Fold in pasta, lemon juice, and parsley.
- 7
Season with salt and pepper and optionally top with olive oil.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak cashews in 180°F water rather than just hot tap water to break down proteins more effectively, creating a silkier cream base without grittiness.technique180°F water
- ✓Roast onions at exactly 200°C for optimal caramelization - lower temps won't develop Maillard reactions properly, higher temps will burn the sugars before they caramelize.timing200°C
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add it gradually to the cashew blend - the starch content (6-8%) acts as a natural emulsifier for the cream sauce.ingredient6-8% starch content
- ✓Keep the cashew-coconut cream below 70°C when reheating to prevent the coconut milk from breaking and separating due to protein coagulation.techniqueBelow 70°C
- ✓Add lemon juice only after removing from heat - acids will curdle the cashew cream if added while hot, breaking the smooth emulsion.timing