One-Pot French Onion Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Gruyère

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 40 min cook

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 large, thinly sliced yellow onions
• 1 tsp, plus more to taste kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 12 oz dried short pasta (rigatoni or penne)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup, shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1/4 cup, grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. 1Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and kosher salt, stirring to coat, then cook 20–25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deeply golden brown and jammy.
2. 2If the onions start to stick or scorch, splash in 1–water and scrape the bottom of the pot; continue until they smell sweet and look mahogany.
3. 3Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme and cook 45–60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and simmer 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
4. 4Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and dried pasta. Bring to a lively simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low so the liquid gently bubbles.
5. 5Cook uncovered 12–15 minutes, stirring every 2–3 minutes so the pasta doesn’t stick, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed into a silky sauce.
6. 6Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, shredded Gruyère, and grated Parmesan until the cheeses melt into a glossy, cohesive sauce, about 1–2 minutes.
7. 7Taste and season with additional salt and the black pepper. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen with a splash of warm broth or water.
8. 8Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and let rest 2 minutes so the sauce clings to every piece of pasta.
9. 9Serve immediately in warm bowls while the cheese is still stretchy and the onions are sweet and savory.
10. 10Leftovers reheat gently with a splash of broth to restore creaminess.