One Pot French Onion Pasta

A plate of french onion pasta with a fork garnished with fresh thyme.

Rich, creamy, and comforting, this one pot French onion pasta is a simple but delicious recipe for any occasion. Loaded with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and tender pasta, this one pot pasta inspired by French onion soup is so flavorful and easy to make.

5 from 17 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 30

Total Time: 1 45

Servings: to 6 servings

Equipment

Round Dutch Oven, 5.5 qt

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter unsalted
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 yellow onions sliced into ¼" (570 grams)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt or more
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms (227 grams)
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves separated from the stems
4¾ cup beef broth ¼ cup for deglazing
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
15 ounces rigatoni pasta (450 grams)
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
1¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or more
Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

Place a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter and oil.
Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions. Sauté for 10 minutes until the onions have softened.
Allow the onions to start caramelizing by leaving the onions alone and only stir every 2 to 3 minutes.
When the onions turn light golden brown, add the sugar and salt. Continue to caramelize the onions for 50 minutes or until the onions are deep golden brown color and jammy. Add the rest of the butter and olive oil half way through if needed. Add up to ¼ cup of broth throughout the process if the bottom of the pot gets too dark and scrape it with a wooden spoon.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the fresh thyme and sauté for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pot with a splash of broth if needed before adding the pasta along with the rest of the beef broth and Worcestershire to the pot. (Add a bit more salt here if desired).
Stir to combine and cover the pot. Bring the pot up to a boil before reducing it to a simmer for around 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom. Simmer for longer if your pasta has not cooked through.
Take the pot of french onion pasta off the heat and add the heavy cream and grated parmesan. Stir until everything is well combined.
Serve with some freshly cracked pepper and if desired, add more parmesan and fresh thyme as garnish.

Video

Nutrition

Course: One Pot

Cuisine: Comfort