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If you love the rich, savory flavor of French onion soup, this creamy French Onion Pasta recipe is about to become your new favorite dinner. It’s cozy, cheesy, and made all in one pot with deeply caramelized onions and a silky, flavorful sauce!
A one pot pasta dish that’s packed with flavor!
I never used to be a one pot pasta kinda girl until I found a few recipes that I really loved. There’s just something about making everything in one dish that really appeals to me on a weeknight!
PLUS, the flavors of this French Onion Soup Pasta are just overall incredible! Overall, it’s SUPER easy to make so don’t get hung up by the 25 minutes it takes to caramelize the onions. I like to get the onions going while I prep the rest of the ingredients.
I’m really excited for you to make this pasta! If you do, please let me know how you like it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pot = minimal dishes 🙌
- Deep, rich flavor from caramelized onions
- Inspired by classic French onion soup
- Cozy comfort food but still simple enough for weeknights
- Creamy, cheesy, and SO satisfying
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this one pot french onion pasta recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Yellow onions. The star of the show! Cook them low and slow for that signature sweet, jammy flavor.
- Olive oil. Helps the onions caramelize evenly. Unsalted butter can also be used for extra richness!
- Garlic. Adds depth and rounds out the savory flavor.
- Fresh thyme. Classic French onion flavor. Dried thyme works in a pinch.
- Balsamic vinegar. Helps deglaze the pan and adds subtle sweetness + depth (kind of mimics wine without needing it).
- Vegetable broth. Forms the base of the sauce and cooks the pasta. French onion soup is traditionally made with beef broth or beef stock but I like using a vegetarian version.
Use a good-quality broth for best flavor. I really love use Broth bases like from Better than Bouillon because it has a great umami flavor. - Pasta. Short pasta works best (like rigatoni, penne, or shells) so it holds onto the sauce. But really, whatever you have will work well! Use gluten-free pasta as needed.
- Gruyère cheese. Classic French onion soup cheese that’s melty, nutty, and essential for that signature flavor!
- Parmesan cheese. Adds saltiness and extra umami.
- Heavy cream. Optional but makes the sauce extra silky and rich.
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written one-pot creamy french onion pasta recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :) Here are the step-by-step photos:
- Caramelize the onions. In a large skillet, cook the sliced onions in a little olive oil or butter over medium-high heat until they turn a deep golden brown color. Add a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon every few minutes to avoid burning. This will take about 25 minutes.
- Build up the flavor. As the onions to continue to caramelize, add in the minced garlic and thyme. Then add in the balsamic vinegar to lightly deglaze the bottom of the pan. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to the skillet.
- Add the pasta to cook. Add the broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add in the pasta, stir, and cook until the pasta is al dente and the extra liquid is absorbed.
- Make it creamy. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the gruyere cheese and parmesan until melted. Mix in a splash of cream as desired. Season to taste and enjoy with crusty bread!
Store leftovers in an air-tight container.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rush the onions. This is where ALL the flavor comes from! The 20–25 minutes it takes is totally worth it, I promise.
- Stir occasionally, not constantly. Let the onions sit so they actually caramelize instead of steam.
- Slice the onions evenly. This ensures they cook at the same rate.
- Deglaze properly. Scrape up all those browned bits after adding the balsamic. It’s pure flavor gold!
- Keep the pasta mostly submerged. This helps it cook evenly in the broth. As the pasta cooks, it will slowly start to absorb all of the liquid.
- Adjust the consistency at the end. Add broth or cream if it’s too thick or simmer longer if it’s too thin.
More creamy pasta recipes to try: You need to try our Dump and Bake Pasta recipe as well as this Creamy Pesto Pasta AND our super simple Alfredo Sauce!
Creamy French Onion Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or butter
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 8 oz pasta of choice
- ½ cup gruyère cheese*, shredded
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and jammy. Lower the heat if they start to burn!
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute to deglaze the pan.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Add the uncooked pasta, making sure it’s mostly submerged. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the gruyère and parmesan until melted and silky. Add in the cream and stir until combined. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed. Top with extra cheese, fresh thyme, and lots of cracked black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
