One-Pot French Onion Pasta (Printable)

A comforting one-pot pasta with deeply caramelized onions, savory broth, and melted cheese.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz dry fettuccine or linguine

→ Liquids

04 - 1/4 cup dry white wine
05 - 4 cups vegetable or beef broth

→ Dairy

06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp sugar
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Extra Gruyère or Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes until onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized.
02 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Cook until the wine is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
04 - Stir in dried thyme, bay leaf, and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
05 - Add dry pasta to the pot. Stir well, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is al dente and liquid is mostly absorbed.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses until fully melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and additional cheese if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the meal with people you care about.
  • The caramelized onions develop a sweetness and complexity that makes the pasta taste like something you'd order at a cozy French bistro.
  • It's the kind of dish that feels fancy enough to serve guests but simple enough to make on a Tuesday night when you need something warming.
02 -
  • Don't skip the caramelization step or rush it—those onions need time to break down and develop their sweetness, and you'll know they're ready when they're deep golden and smell almost like caramel.
  • Stir the pasta frequently while it simmers so it cooks evenly and nothing catches on the bottom, and watch carefully in those final minutes because pasta cooking in broth can go from al dente to mushy in about ninety seconds.
  • Add the cheese off the heat or on very low heat, stirring gently, because high heat can cause it to separate and become grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven instead of a skillet if you have one—the higher sides prevent splattering during the long simmer, and the heavy bottom distributes heat more evenly so the onions caramelize without burning.
  • Make sure your pan is large enough that the onions fit in a single layer when you first add them; crowding them traps steam and keeps them from browning properly.
Go Back