Description
French Onion Pasta is a comforting and savory dish blending the deep flavors of caramelized onions, mushrooms, pancetta, and a rich cheesy sauce. This creamy pasta combines a homemade French onion-inspired sauce with orecchiette pasta, making a perfect main course that pairs the heartiness of traditional French onion soup with the satisfying texture of pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz white button mushrooms
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 4 oz pancetta, diced
- ⅔ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 medium yellow onions (about 15 oz), sliced into ¼-inch strings
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ¾ pound orecchiette pasta
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce Ingredients: Combine the beef broth, chicken broth, half and half, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, dried parsley, dried thyme, and dried oregano in a large measuring cup with a spout. Set aside. Measure all remaining ingredients before starting; you can shred the cheeses while the onions cook.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Pancetta: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the white button mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes, seasoning with salt to enhance flavor. Add the diced pancetta and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked. Remove the mixture and set aside.
- Deglaze Skillet: Turn off the heat, then add the white wine to the same skillet. Set the heat back to medium and use a silicone spatula to scrape and clean the bottom and sides of the skillet, releasing all the flavorful bits into the wine.
- Cook Onions: Add the butter and the sliced yellow onions to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Caramelize Onions: Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking the onions, stirring often, until they are deeply caramelized and golden brown, about 35 minutes. If the onions cook too fast, reduce heat slightly; add a splash of olive oil or wine if additional moisture is needed.
- Boil Pasta: While onions caramelize, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt (about ½ tablespoon kosher salt). Cook the orecchiette pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Add the minced garlic to the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook continuously for 2 minutes to cook off any raw taste.
- Make Sauce: Gradually add the prepared sauce mixture in small splashes to the onion mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover partially while cooking pasta.
- Add Cheese: Lower heat to low and slowly sprinkle in shredded Gruyere and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Ingredients: Add the sautéed mushrooms and pancetta back into the sauce, stirring to combine. Gradually toss in the cooked pasta until the desired sauce-to-pasta ratio is achieved. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Wine: Use Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay for best flavor. If avoiding wine, additional chicken or beef broth can be substituted.
- Pasta: Orecchiette works great, but penne, ziti, medium shells, cavatappi, farfalle, or rigatoni are good alternatives.
- Cheese: Freshly shred cheese from blocks for better melting and flavor. Whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella can substitute Gruyere.
- Add cheese slowly over low heat to prevent dairy separation and grainy texture.
- Mushrooms: White button mushrooms are best, but baby portabella or cremini mushrooms are good options.
- Onions: Slice evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- Hot Sauce: Adds depth without spiciness; Frank’s Hot Sauce recommended.
- Pancetta: Veroni diced pancetta is ideal. Bacon or finely diced ham may substitute. For a meatless version, add ½ bouillon cube to enhance umami.
- Broth: Mixing beef and chicken broth adds depth; all chicken or all beef broth is acceptable.
- Pasta Water: Save some pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.
- Storage: Store leftovers in airtight containers refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
