Description
French Onion Soup Pasta combines caramelized onions, creamy béchamel, and cheese with pasta for a comforting casserole inspired by classic French onion soup. This easy French onion pasta recipe is rich, savory, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 baguette, sliced for homemade breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 300 g cavatappi macaroni or other short pasta
- 5 onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp water (for béchamel slurry)
- 1 tsp sugar
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp salt (for pasta water)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Slice the baguette and pulse in a food processor to make coarse breadcrumbs. Toss with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp oregano, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Thinly slice the onions into long strips.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized. Add sugar halfway through to help the onions caramelize.
- If onions begin to stick, pour in beef broth and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid reduces. Set aside onions after caramelizing.
- In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp butter over low-medium heat. Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in heavy cream and keep stirring until the béchamel thickens. Mix in water if needed to smooth out lumps.
- Add 2/3 of the caramelized onions to the béchamel. Stir in parmesan cheese, 1 tsp salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and dried oregano. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook cavatappi macaroni just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
- Combine cooked pasta and béchamel sauce in a large bowl. Add reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Mix well.
- Transfer pasta mixture to a greased baking dish. Top with remaining caramelized onions and prepared breadcrumbs.
- Bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley and parmesan if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute cavatappi with rigatoni, penne, or fusilli for this French onion soup pasta.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Gruyere cheese can be added or swapped with parmesan for more authentic French onion flavor.
- This French onion pasta casserole can be made ahead and reheated.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before baking for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 780
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 46g
- Saturated Fat: 27g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 140mg