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Caramelized Onion Pasta Recipe

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4.1 from 13 reviews

This Caramelized Onion Pasta recipe features sweet, richly browned onions cooked slowly to perfection and tossed with perfectly cooked pasta, savory parmesan, and fresh parsley. It’s a comforting yet elegant vegetarian dish that takes about an hour to prepare, making it ideal for a flavorful weeknight meal or casual dinner.

  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

For the Caramelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional, helps enhance caramelization)

For the Pasta

  • 12 ounces pasta of choice
  • 1/2 to 1 cup shredded parmesan (non-dairy suggested, e.g., Violife shaved parmesan)
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Caramelize the Onions: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the halved and sliced onions, stirring to coat them evenly with the oil. Spread the onions evenly in the pan and cook, stirring every few minutes.
  2. Season and Continue Cooking: After about 10 minutes, sprinkle the onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar if using. This helps speed up caramelization. Continue cooking the onions for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every few minutes. Keep the heat low enough to maintain a gentle simmer and prevent burning. Add a splash of water if the onions begin to dry out.
  3. Finish Caramelizing: Once the onions turn a deep, rich brown color, remove them from heat and set aside.
  4. Cook the Pasta: While the onions are nearing completion, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously with about 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, typically 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
  5. Drain Pasta and Reserve Liquid: Drain the pasta in a colander but reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water for later use.
  6. Combine Pasta and Onions: Return the caramelized onions to the pan. Add the drained pasta along with 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese and allow it to melt into the mixture.
  7. Adjust Texture and Flavor: If the pasta feels too thick or dry, gradually add more reserved pasta water until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley for freshness and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  8. Serve: Serve the pasta immediately while warm. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • Using sugar is optional but helps accelerate the caramelization process and enhances the onions’ natural sweetness.
  • If onions start to stick or dry out during cooking, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan and keep them moist.
  • You can substitute the non-dairy parmesan with regular parmesan if preferred.
  • The pasta type can be any shape you like, but long pasta such as spaghetti or fettuccine pairs particularly well.
  • This dish is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated and reheated gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen it.

Find it online: https://cheftinaskitchen.com/caramelized-onion-pasta-recipe/