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French Onion Pasta

This French Onion Pasta is comfort food at its finest! Buttery caramelized onions, a splash of sherry, fresh thyme, and a creamy cheese sauce all wrapped around tender pasta. It's the perfect balance of easy and elegant—great for a family meal or dinner with friends. You won't believe how much flavor this dish packs in!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 682kcal
Author: Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter (Note 1)
  • 4 onions thinly sliced (Note 2)
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ cup sherry (Note 3)
  • ½ cup white wine (Note 4)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 12 oz pasta (Note 5)
  • 4 cups beef broth (Note 6)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup cheese shredded (Note 7)

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a heavy-based skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the sliced onions and stir to coat in butter. Cook the onions for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
    ¼ cup butter
    4 onions



  • Add the water, salt, and sugar, and cook the onion for an additional 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are rich and golden brown.
    ¼ cup water
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon sugar



  • Add the sherry and wine. Turn up the heat and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook this until there is very little liquid left.
    ¼ cup sherry
    ½ cup white wine



  • Add the thyme leaves, salt, pepper, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and pasta.
    4 sprigs fresh thyme
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon pepper
    4 cups beef broth
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    12 oz pasta



  • Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer (medium-low to low) and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until the pasta is just tender. There should be very little broth left at this point. (Note 8)
  • Add the cream and grated parmesan cheese to the pasta and stir well until the parmesan has melted into the cream and is fully combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed.
    ½ cup heavy cream
    ½ parmesan cheese



  • Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the pasta and broil for 2-4 minutes until melted.
    ½ cup cheese



Notes

  1. I use salted butter, which I always have in the fridge, but I use unsalted if that's what you have available. I don't recommend replacing it with oil. You want the buttery flavor.
  2. Regular brown onions are fine. But white or yellow works, too.
  3. You can buy sherry quite cheaply at the liquor store. Once opened, it is kept well in the cupboard. (If you have a bottle handy, you can use it as a substitute for wine in other recipes.) If you don't consume alcohol, you can use beef broth; however, the finished pasta will taste quite different.
  4. Any dry white wine works here. If you don't consume alcohol, then you can just use beef broth, but the finished pasta will taste quite different.
  5. Opt for a shape that can withstand stirring without breaking. I like a Penne, Cavatappi, or Casarecce. Avoid farfalle (bowties), as the ends tend to break off when stirring. I would also avoid long pasta noodles as they can be hard to cook evenly using this method.
  6. I try to make this with homemade beef broth, as the flavor is superior to that of store-bought. If you don't have homemade, then I opt for the best store-bought beef I can find. However, if you are faced with regular quality broth, then opt for chicken, as it is simply nicer than a basic beef broth. The better the broth, the better the finished dish, so go for one that tastes good!
  7. This is sprinkled on top and then broiled. You can opt for Mozzarella, Colby, Gruyère, or a combination of cheeses. You want something that melts well. I like a mixture of mozzarella for the stretch and gruyere for the taste.
  8. If you find the pasta too wet, turn the heat up and cook on high for the last minute. If it looks very dry and the pasta has not yet cooked, you can add a little extra water, but don't add too much, as you won't be draining the pasta. (You'll be adding cream to make it saucy.)

Nutrition

Calories: 682kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1577mg | Potassium: 577mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 999IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 2mg
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