One-Pot French Onion Pasta (Printable Version)

A hearty pasta with deeply caramelized onions and melted cheese in a single pot.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pasta

03 - 12 ounces dry fettuccine or linguine

→ Liquids

04 - 1/4 cup dry white wine
05 - 4 cups vegetable or beef broth

→ Dairy

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Extra Gruyère or Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions turn deep golden brown and caramelize, about 20 to 25 minutes.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Cook until most of the wine evaporates, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Stir in dried thyme, bay leaf, and broth. Bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Add uncooked pasta, stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes until pasta is al dente and liquid nearly absorbed.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses until fully melted and creamy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Plate hot pasta, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and additional cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a one-pot meal—no draining pasta, no separate sauce pan, just one beautiful dish that comes together.
  • Those caramelized onions do the heavy lifting flavor-wise, creating a richness that feels indulgent without requiring complicated technique.
  • Gruyère and Parmesan melt into the broth to create a silky, savory coating that makes you wonder why you don't cook pasta this way more often.
02 -
  • Those 20 to 25 minutes of caramelization can't be rushed—low and slow is the only way to get the deep flavor that makes this dish shine, not the pale, quickly-cooked version.
  • Stir the pasta frequently once it hits the broth, because it wants to stick to the bottom and you want every strand coated evenly in that savory liquid.
  • Season at the very end, after the cheese is melted—the cheese itself adds salt, and you need to taste to know how much more you actually need.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven that distributes heat evenly—thin pans create hot spots that burn the onions unevenly.
  • Don't walk away during caramelization; you need to stir just often enough to prevent sticking but not so much that you're constantly interrupting the browning process.
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