French Onion Pasta
Think of this French onion pasta dish as the love child of French onion soup and creamy pasta casserole. Slow-caramelized onions, roasted garlic, and thyme come together in a rich, savory sauce that clings beautifully to spaghetti.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet caramelized onions meet roasted garlic and thyme for a flavor explosion! Trust me, you will not be disappointed.
- Minimal effort, maximum payoff. The oven does most of the work for you, and you get to enjoy multiple servings over the week.
- Aside from being an awesome meal prep option, it’s a great dish for a dinner party. This French onion pasta looks restaurant-worthy but is secretly simple.
- No need to spend hours stirring your onions. Mix them with spices and oil, and let the onions caramelize slowly in the casserole dish.
Key Ingredients
- Yellow onions are the star of the show, slowly caramelized until sweet and golden.
- Garlic is roasted whole for mellow, buttery flavor. Trust me, a head of garlic is not too much!
- Thyme is earthy and aromatic, balancing the richness of sweet onions, creamy coconut milk, and earthy garlic.
- Coconut milk is an easy way to add creaminess to the sauce without dairy.
- White wine adds brightness and depth. It really penetrates the onions with subtle flavors. You can use lemon juice as an alternative.
- Spaghetti is basically the vehicle for the delicious sauce. It’s a classic, but any pasta shape works.
Hack It!
- Gluten-Free? No problem, just use gluten-free pasta. A great wat to add extra protein to the dish is to use chickpea or lentil pasta even if you are not gluten-free.
- If you don’t like the flavor of coconut milk, sub with oat cream, soy cream, or homemade cashew cream.
- You don’t have to use wine. Lemon juice keeps it bright just as well.
- Use nutritional yeast if you don’t have vegan parmesan. I also like to use pulp from homemade almond milk to create yummy almond cheese spread that would taste amazing with this French onion pasta.
- For batch cooking, caramelize double the onions and save half for soups, sandwiches, or pizza.
How to Make French Onion Pasta
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400F. In a casserole dish, add the onions, wine, paprika, thyme and coconut milk.
Step 2: Stir, then add the garlic in the middle. Drizzle with the olive oil.
Step 3: Cover with foil, and bake for 45-60 minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized, stirring halfway through.
Step 4: While the onions caramelize, boil your pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving up to a cup of pasta water for later.
Step 5: When the onions are caramelized, remove the head of garlic, and squeeze the cloves in. Add the cooked spaghetti and reserved pasta water if needed and stir until the pasta is coated with the onions and the sauce.
Step 6: Finish with a generous serving of fresh parsley, red chili flakes and vegan parmesan. Serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kind of. You can pre-make components, then combine them when ready to enjoy. For instance, you can caramelize the onions and boil the pasta in advance and assemble when ready.
Not at all, it’s just an easy way to create a creamy sauce. You can also use oat, soy, or cashew cream as alternatives.
Not really, since it’s not a huge quantity. The slow-roasted onions and garlic take center stage, with coconut milk just adding creaminess.
Of course! I always encourage people to use what they already have.
More Plant-Based Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Corn Pasta
- Zucchini Pesto Pasta
- Creamy Tortellini Pasta
- One Pot Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Baked Orzo with Veggies
If you love including as many plants as possible in your meals, you need PlantYou Cookbook and Scrappy Cooking ASAP. Both of my cookbooks teach you how to cook a diversity of plant foods in creative and delicious ways! Plus, Scrappy helps you reduce food waste and save a few bucks along the way.
The Recipe: French Onion Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 head garlic, top sliced off
- 3 tbsp white wine, or lemon juice
- 1½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme, fresh or dried
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz spaghetti, or pasta of choice
- ½ cup vegan parmesan, optional
- fresh parsley, to serve
- red pepper flaked, to serve
Equipment
- Sharp knife or a mandolin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. In a casserole dish, add the onions, wine, paprika, thyme and coconut milk. Stir, then add the garlic in the middle. Drizzle with the olive oil. Cover with foil, and bake for 45 minuets to 1 hour, until the onions are browned and caramelized, stirring halfway through.
- While the onions caramelize, boil your pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving up to a cup of pasta water, for later.
- When the onions are caramelized, remove the head of garlic, and squeeze the cloves in. Add the cooked spaghetti and reserved pasta water if needed and stir until the pasta is coated with the onions and the sauce. Finish with a generous serving of fresh parsley, red chili flakes and vegan parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Gluten-Free? No problem, just use gluten-free pasta. A great wat to add extra protein to the dish is to use chickpea or lentil pasta even if you are not gluten-free.
- If you don’t like the flavor of coconut milk, sub with oat cream, soy cream, or homemade cashew cream.
- You don’t have to use wine. Lemon juice keeps it bright just as well.
- Use nutritional yeast if you don’t have vegan parmesan. I also like to use pulp from homemade almond milk to create yummy almond cheese spread that would taste amazing with this French onion pasta.
- For batch cooking, caramelize double the onions and save half for soups, sandwiches, or pizza.