French Onion Pasta Recipe (One-Pot)

I grew up ordering French onion soup in a bread bowl from Panera—I was enthralled with the “you pick two” deal in its heyday. The soup always felt so fancy with its cheesy topping, rich broth, and deep flavor profile. The ingredients are simple but the result is complex and delicious. Since I’ve been obsessed with developing one-pot pasta lately, French onion soup in pasta form seemed like a no-brainer.

Sweet and tender caramelized onions are the star of this dish, and they’re enhanced with fresh thyme, white wine, and beef broth. The orecchiette pasta cooks directly in the seasoned broth, adding some starchiness and thickness to the sauce. It’s finished with a splash of cream and melty Gruyère cheese. 

The whole thing comes together in less than an hour and I’ve made it at least once a week for the past month. It’s the perfect Sunday dinner.

Time-Saving Tips for Caramelizing Onions

• Use a large pot: A Dutch oven works well, so the onions have more surface area and cook faster.
• Don’t skip the salt: Salting the onions helps to draw out moisture faster so they can begin caramelizing sooner.
• Adjust the heat accordingly: Raise the heat for faster caramelization (but watch carefully and stir often) and lower the heat if the onions brown too quickly.

Make It Vegetarian or Vegan

It’s easy to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan with just a few swaps:

• Use low-sodium vegetable broth instead of beef broth 
• Omit the Worcestershire or use a vegetarian version
• Omit the butter and use 1/4 cup olive oil 
• Swap the heavy cream for coconut cream
• Replace the Gruyère with a vegan Swiss cheese 

One Pot Pastas