French Onion Pasta

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Treat yourself to the comfort dinner you deserve with French Onion Pasta! Classic french onion flavors pair excellently with tender pasta noodles. The signature flavor here is created by key ingredients like beef broth, portabella mushrooms, white onions, and so much more! Trust us, this is a dish that always garners the question – “can I please have seconds?”

Looking to add a veggie side dish to accompany this hearty pasta entree? We’ve got you covered! Roasted Asparagus, Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic, Caesar Salad all plate perfectly with French Onion Pasta. Don’t forget dessert, either! Finish off your meal with Sourdough Brownies because, well, why not?

French onion pasta in a bowl.

French Onion Pasta

French onion is a flavor that has earned its title of “classic” for good reason! It’s savory as can be, rich, hearty, and always leaves you feeling satisfied, bite after bite. When you combine those cozy flavors with tender pasta, real magic happens.

This is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that’s ideal for those nights when you really need your meal to hit the spot!

Whether you make it in the dead of a cold winter night or in the middle of summer, everyone around the dinner table will gobble up this incredible pasta dish. We know that from plenty of experience!

How to Make French Onion Pasta

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, and set aside.
  2. Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the olive oil and onions and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the onions have reduced significantly and caramelized. Don’t rush this process or the onions will burn.
  3. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have reduced significantly.
  4. Pour in the beef broth, wine, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and salt and stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese until it is fully melted. Bring the mixture to a simmer again, and stir in the cooked pasta.
  6. Serve immediately with freshly minced thyme and toasted bread if desired.
Collage showing how to make french onion pasta.

Tips and Variations:

  • Avoid sweet white wines like Riesling. Your best bet is a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Try to read reviews of the wine online to make sure it’s dry. 
  • The parmesan cheese MUST be freshly grated! It may seem like a hassle to grate it yourself, but the final product is so very worth it. The plastic baggie of pre-shredded cheese from the store contains anti-caking agents that will prevent the cheese from fully mixing into the pasta. 
  • White onions are a key ingredient when making anything french onion flavored, so try not to replace them! If you absolutely must substitute them, opt for yellow onions instead of red.
Angled view of pan of pasta with mushrooms.

Storage and Reheating

Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge, this pasta dish will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Feel free to reheat French Onion Pasta in the microwave!

French onion pasta in a dutch oven.

French Onion Pasta

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Author: Kim
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 5 Servings

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces short pasta noodles, We used mini penne.
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large white onions, sliced
  • 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup beef broth, low sodium
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 thyme sprigs, fresh
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, and set aside.
    16 ounces short pasta noodles
  • Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the olive oil and onions and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the onions have reduced significantly and caramelized. Don’t rush this process or the onions will burn.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 large white onions
  • Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have reduced significantly.
    8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms
  • Pour in the beef broth, wine, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and salt and stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
    1 cup beef broth
    1 cup dry white wine
    2 thyme sprigs
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    ½ teaspoon salt
  • Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese until it is fully melted. Bring the mixture to a simmer again, and stir in the cooked pasta.
    1 cup heavy cream
    ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • Serve immediately with freshly minced thyme and toasted bread if desired.
  • See post for tips, variations, and storage options.

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 2 cups of pasta. Actual calories will vary.
 
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 672kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 18gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 629mgPotassium: 591mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 947IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 2mg

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