French Onion Pasta Bake (Print View)

Creamy pasta with caramelized onions and melted Gruyère cheese baked till golden and bubbling.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta such as rigatoni or penne

→ Onions

02 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Flavorings

08 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
10 - 2 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Sauce and Cheese

13 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
14 - 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
15 - 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
16 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Topping

17 - 1/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 8x12 inch baking dish.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add onions, salt, and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden and caramelized.
04 - Add garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in white wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze. Cook until wine reduces by half, approximately 3 minutes.
06 - Stir in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with black pepper.
07 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and remove from heat.
08 - Combine cooked pasta, caramelized onion mixture, Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Mix well.
09 - Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Gruyère cheese.
10 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
11 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those deep, golden onions taste like you've been cooking all day, even though the real work takes barely half an hour.
  • It's the kind of dish that looks fancy enough to impress but feels completely forgiving—hard to mess up and endlessly customizable.
  • One baking dish means minimal cleanup, and the leftovers somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't rush the onions; that 20 to 25 minutes of stirring is non-negotiable, and turning up the heat will only give you burned spots and bitter regret instead of caramel.
  • Cook your pasta slightly undercooked, because it will absorb liquid in the oven and continue softening—this one trick is what separates a creamy bake from a mushy disaster.
03 -
  • Brown your onions low and slow—medium heat for the full time beats high heat with constant stirring, giving you a deeper, more complex caramel without the burnt edges.
  • Taste the broth before adding cream; if it feels too salty for you, use half broth and half water, because you can always taste and adjust but you can't take salt back out.
Return