Description
French Onion Pasta is a rich and savory dish combining caramelized onions, mushrooms, pancetta, a creamy cheesy sauce, and orecchiette pasta. Inspired by classic French onion flavors, this recipe transforms the beloved soup into a comforting pasta dish with a delightful balance of umami and creaminess.
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 Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz white button mushrooms
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 4 oz pancetta, diced
- ⅔ cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay)
- 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 (can substitute mozzarella cheese)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ¾ pound orecchiette pasta
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce Ingredients: Combine beef broth, chicken broth, half and half, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, dried parsley, thyme, and oregano in a large measuring cup with a spout. Set aside. Also, measure out the other ingredients to have everything ready.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Pancetta: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes, seasoning with salt to enhance flavor. Add diced pancetta and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until browned. Remove mushrooms and pancetta from the skillet and set aside.
- Deglaze Skillet: Turn heat off briefly, then pour white wine into the skillet. Turn heat back to medium and use a silicone spatula to scrape and loosen browned bits from the bottom and sides of the skillet to deepen flavor.
- Cook Onions: Add butter and sliced onions to the skillet. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are deeply caramelized, about 35 more minutes. Adjust heat if onions cook too quickly and add extra olive oil or wine if needed for moisture.
- Boil Pasta: While onions are caramelizing, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ½ tablespoon kosher salt when boiling. Cook orecchiette pasta until al dente according to package instructions, then drain.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Stir minced garlic into the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Create Sauce Base: Gradually add the prepared sauce mixture in small splashes to the onion mixture, stirring constantly. Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered while pasta cooks.
- Incorporate Cheese: Lower the heat to low and gradually stir in the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, mixing continuously until fully melted and combined to create a creamy sauce.
- Combine Mushrooms, Pancetta, and Pasta: Return the sautéed mushrooms and pancetta to the skillet, stirring them into the sauce. Add the cooked pasta gradually, mixing until the preferred sauce-to-pasta ratio is achieved.
- Serve: Once combined and heated through, serve the French Onion Pasta immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay for the white wine to enhance flavor; chicken or beef broth can substitute if you prefer not to use wine.
- Orecchiette pasta works great, but penne, ziti, medium shells, cavatappi, farfalle, or rigatoni are good alternatives.
- Shredding cheese from a block yields better melt and flavor than pre-shredded cheese; use whole milk, low moisture mozzarella for best results if substituting Gruyere.
- Add cheese over low heat to prevent dairy from separating and becoming grainy.
- White button mushrooms are ideal, but baby portabella or cremini mushrooms also work well.
- Slice onions uniformly for even caramelization.
- Hot sauce is used as a subtle flavor enhancer and does not make the dish spicy; Frank’s Hot Sauce is recommended.
- Pancetta can be swapped with bacon or finely diced ham; for a meatless version, consider adding ½ a bouillon cube to maintain savory depth.
- Combining chicken and beef broth adds flavor complexity, however all chicken or all beef broth can be used if preferred.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if it becomes too thick or clumpy.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
