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Creamy Easy French Onion Pasta with caramelized onions and melted Gruyere cheese.

Caramelized Onion Gruyere Pasta

A cozy, cheesy pasta dish inspired by French onion soup, featuring sweet caramelized onions and melty Gruyere cheese.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: French, Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta Ingredients
  • 2-3 large onions Yellow onions are ideal.
  • 12 ounces short pasta (penne or rigatoni) Spaghetti works too.
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil Prevents butter from browning too fast.
  • 2-3 cloves garlic OPTIONAL, minced.
  • 3 cups broth (beef, chicken or vegetable) Beef broth is most French onion tasting.
  • 1 teaspoon thyme Fresh or dried.
  • 1-1.5 cups shredded Gruyere Desirable for melting.
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Grated.
  • to taste salt Season throughout.
  • to taste black pepper Season throughout.
  • 1 splash balsamic or Worcestershire sauce Optional for flavor.

Method
 

Caramelizing the Onions
  1. Slice the onions.
  2. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add onions and a pinch of salt; stir occasionally.
  4. Cook for 25 to 40 minutes until golden, adding water/broth if necessary.
Building the Sauce and Cooking the Pasta
  1. Once onions are caramelized, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in broth and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  3. Choose one option to cook pasta.
  4. Option A: Boil pasta separately and then add to onion broth.
  5. Option B: If skillet is large enough, simmer pasta in the broth, adding more liquid as needed.
  6. Once pasta is cooked, lower heat and stir in Gruyere and Parmesan. Adjust consistency with pasta water.

Notes

Serve immediately to enjoy the best cheese pull. Reheat leftovers with a splash of broth or water.