Viral TikTok One Pot French Onion Pasta

French onion pasta will satisfy your cravings for French onion soup and creamy pasta. This recipe also proves you can make an incredible dish in just one pot!

French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food; sweet, caramelized onions simmered in a rich, savory broth to create a warm, cozy, and deliciously balanced dish.

But what if we can feature those deep flavors in a creamy pasta dish?

This genius recipe is called the French onion pasta, perfect for creamy pasta lovers and fans of French onion soup!

It’s filling with just the right creaminess to complement the savory sweetness we all love in French onion soup.

And best of all, you can make everything in just one pot for easy clean-up!

What Is French Onion Pasta?

If French onion soup is a creamy pasta dish, that’s the French onion pasta.

And just like French onion soup, you’ll start French onion pasta by caramelizing onions.

Cooking the onions doooooowwwn (emphasis on down) is the epitome of the phrase, “Good things come to those who wait.” It took me half an hour to get the perfectly jammy caramelized onions! ?

Do not forget to deglaze the pot as well because the crispy brown bits at the bottom are packed with rich flavor.

But once you’re done with the French onion soup base, the rest is easy with this one pot French onion pasta recipe. Would you believe that everything is done in just one pot?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are many reasons to love this French onion pasta recipe. Here are the best things about this dish that makes the 30-minute wait for the onions 100% worth it:

• Comforting Flavors: The familiar sweet-savory flavor of French onion soup is now in pasta form! This one pot French onion pasta is essentially a cross between two comfort foods: creamy and cheesy pasta and cozy French onion soup.
• One-Pot Dish: Other than caramelizing the onions, French onion pasta is actually very easy to make. You’ll only use one pot for this flavorful pasta recipe, so the clean-up afterward will be a breeze!
• Versatile Recipe: This French onion pasta recipe is highly adaptable and customizable! I’ve included delicious ingredient substitutions and alternatives below to make this dish more indulgent and special.

What Does One Pot French Onion Pasta Taste Like?

French onion pasta tastes like French onion soup but creamier and more filling. Deglazing the pot with white wine and sherry elevates the deep flavors of the sweet, jammy onions.

You’ll also love the savory and umami notes from the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.

I really enjoyed how these flavors balance the richness of the heavy cream, so it’s definitely a league of its own compared to other creamy pasta dishes.

Finally, I want to give a shoutout to the parmesan cheese and thyme because they really complete this one pot French onion pasta.

Is This French Onion Pasta Recipe Healthy?

Onions are the stars of French onion pasta. And when it comes to health benefits, the bulbs that give this one pot recipe its deep flavor are also a good course of fiber, vitamins, and minerals like vitamins B6, C, potassium, copper, and manganese!

Still, there’s a sad reality we have to face with creamy pasta recipes. They’re absolutely delicious and hearty, but we must be mindful of our portions when eating them. ?

Cream-based pasta dishes can be high in calories, and for a complete meal, this French onion pasta is best paired with other healthy dishes like salad greens or fish.

What Are The Benefits Of One Pot French Onion Pasta?

One pot French onion pasta is the ultimate dish to please a crowd.

It has the deep sweet-savory flavors of French onion soup, but it’s also filling and satisfying, like a rich and creamy pasta dish.

And as someone who hates washing the pans and tools after cooking, this one pot recipe is heaven-sent! Let’s admit how often we avoid cooking at home because cleaning up a ton of kitchenware for just one dish feels unfair. ?

So next time you’re craving a creamy pasta dish but soup sounds delicious too, try this viral recipe.

Ingredients For French Onion Pasta

• Yellow onions – Yellow onions caramelize perfectly for this French onion pasta recipe. Because they’ll cook them down, you can add more until you have the reasonable amount you prefer for your dish.
• Unsalted butter – Use unsalted butter so you have control over the saltiness of your sauce.
• White wine – I recommend dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc for deglazing the pan beautifully.
• Sherry – Some recipes use Sherry as a substitute for white wine, but using both enhances the deep flavors of this one pot French onion pasta more.
• Rigatoni – Rigatoni soaks up the creamy sauce wonderfully, but you can use any short and tubular pasta. Just cook them al dente so they won’t soften too much!
• Beef broth – Beef broth adds a rich, savory flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce – The umami notes from Worcestershire sauce offer a delicious balance to the sweetness of the jammy onions.
• Heavy cream – What I love about this recipe is even though it’s a creamy pasta dish, it’s not overwhelmingly rich. However, you can always substitute heavy cream with something lighter.
• Parmesan cheese – An absolute must-have for any creamy pasta recipe!
• Salt – I only needed a pinch of salt because the broth is already salty, so always taste your sauce to avoid overseasoning.
• Black pepper – This pasta dish just feels incomplete without the sharpness of black pepper.
• Fresh thyme – Tie the thyme sprigs together before putting them in the sauce, so they’ll be easier to remove.

Tools Needed To Prepare French Onion Pasta

• Pot for cooking everything from the onions to the pasta!
• Wooden spatula for stirring the ingredients in the pot

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For French Onion Pasta

Rigatoni

Any short pasta will make this one pot French onion pasta enjoyable. If you don’t have rigatoni, substitute it with penne!

Cremini mushrooms

Add more umami flavor and meaty texture to your one pot pasta recipe with cremini mushrooms. You can incorporate them into the pot after cooking down the onions.

Prosciutto

Another delicious addition to this hearty French onion pasta is prosciutto! While cooking the pasta, just crisp up your prosciutto in the oven! ?

How to Make French Onion Pasta

Ingredients:

• 3 large yellow onions, sliced thinly
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup white wine
• ¼ cup sherry 
• 1 lb rigatoni
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup grated parmesan plus extra for serving
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme plus extra for serving

Tools you need:

• Pot
• Wooden spatula

Instructions:

STEP 1: Gather the ingredients for your French onion pasta.

STEP 2: Melt butter over medium heat. 

STEP 3: Add the sliced onions and cook until soft.

STEP 4: Reduce the heat to medium-low and caramelize the onions for about 30 minutes. Remember to stir the onions occasionally because they can burn or stick to the bottom of the pot.

STEP 5: Pour the white wine and sherry into the onions. Allow the wine to reduce slightly for a couple of minutes, scraping the crispy bits from the bottom of the pot. 

STEP 6: Add the pasta, broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme into the pot and stir. Bring to a boil.

STEP 7: Stir the pot once more, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer until the pasta is al dente, usually around 10 minutes. 

STEP 8: Turn off the heat and remove the sprigs of thyme. 

STEP 9: Add the heavy cream and parmesan to the pot. Stir to combine. 

STEP 10: Taste and season the pasta as needed. 

STEP 11: Serve with more thyme and parmesan. 

What To Serve With French Onion Pasta

Dishes that go well with French onion soup will also pair deliciously with this one pot French onion pasta recipe.

For example, serve it with buttery toasted garlic bread, steak, seared scallops, or for something healthier, arugula salad. ?

But since you’re already interested in making a viral dish, why not pair your one pot pasta with other trending meals?

Choose from the best viral TikTok recipes, or if you can’t decide, I highly recommend this creamy pasta recipe with crispy accordion potatoes as your side and custard yogurt toast for dessert.

Tips About Making One Pot French Onion Pasta

Get perfectly caramelized jammy onions for your French onion pasta with these tips:

• Stir the onions every few minutes to keep them from burning, but don’t mix them too often, or they won’t cook down nicely. You can also lower the heat and add a splash of water if the onions start to burn.
• How to know if your onions are done? Perfectly caramelized onions should be jammy and deep amber in color.
• Deglaze your pot for incredibly flavorful French onion pasta. Those brown bits at the bottom add deep flavors to the dish!

How To Store French Onion Pasta

If you have leftovers, here’s how to enjoy your French onion pasta for longer:

• Fridge: Transfer your cooled pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate. Consume within 4 days for the best experience.
• Freezer: If frozen in an airtight container, your French onion pasta can be stored between 2 to 3 months!
• Reheating: I recommend reheating your French onion pasta leftovers on the stove. You can also add a bit of cream to revive the sauce.

Which Onions Are Best For French Onion Pasta?

You can caramelize any onion, but yellow onions are perfect for French onion pasta.

More than the sweet-savory flavor once caramelized, these sweet onions also don’t turn mushy quickly.

You can cook them down as long as needed until they’re luscious and jammy. These caramelized onions will give this incredible meal a deep flavor that will have you licking the plate clean. ?

What Does French Onion Soup Taste Like?

French onion pasta is French onion soup in creamy pasta form. But what does French onion soup taste like anyway?

Of course, it tastes like onions because the base is made from onions cooked down until they’re jammy and deep amber.

But more than the sweetness, French onion soup also has a rich, savory taste from stock, further enhanced by deglazing the pan with white wine and/or sherry.

FAQ About French Onion Pasta Recipe

Conclusion

Who would have thought you could transfer the deep flavors of the ever-comforting French onion soup to a creamy pasta dish?

This French onion pasta recipe starts with caramelized onions, enhanced with white wine, sherry, and beef stock. The sweet and savory flavors go perfectly well with the richness of heavy cream and parmesan-based pasta sauce. ?

And even though caramelizing the onions requires some waiting time, this recipe is still ultra convenient because everything is done in one pot.

You can even just caramelize the onions in advance to save on prep time!

Looking for more delicious but easy pasta recipes like this viral one pot French onion pasta? You will love these for sure!

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