French Onion Soup Pasta

All the rich, caramelized onion flavor of French onion soup turned into a creamy, cheesy pasta dinner.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or fettuccine
• 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella or provolone
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Caramelize the onions. Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and deep golden brown.
3. Add garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for another minute.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for about 1 minute.
5. Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Stir in the heavy cream. Reduce heat to low and add Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Stir until smooth and melted.
7. Add the cooked pasta and toss until completely coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
8. Top with extra Gruyère or Parmesan and parsley before serving.

Optional upgrade: Transfer everything to a baking dish, cover with extra Gruyère and broil for 2–3 minutes until bubbly and golden—almost like the cheesy top of actual French onion soup.

🍳 Skillet I use
🧀 Cheese grater
🧅 Onion slicer
🍝 Pasta bowls