I’m already anticipating Sunday.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse. We haven’t even hopped around the weekend enough to make it to Sunday.
Sundays, I would argue, are the worst. Actually… they’re the BEST but only between the hours of 8am and noon when we’re sleeping in, churching, brunching, or napping after pancakes. After noon on a Sunday I find myself in the unfortunate task of pretending to be relaxed while stressing about the week to come. We’ve talked about this before. It’s called The Sunday Stresses, and it’s more real that we deserve.
Luckily there’s PASTA. All healing, all comforting, all filling PASTA. Thank you, Lord. For real.
I have pasta every Sunday night. I spoon myself an embarrassingly large bowl, sit cross-legged on the couch, watch Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee and just tear through a bowl. I’m trying to fill the pit of Sunday Stresses and pasta usually works, until it doesn’t… but even still.
This One-Pot pasta comes together easily and makes the house smell like an onion dream. There’s just something so right about the smell of cooking onions.
While the onions, thyme, and chicken broth flavors have more of a Fall feel to them… well, The Sunday Stresses know no season. Let’s just get some quality couch time in. Let’s make out with pasta, just a little.
NOT WEIRD AT ALL!
Fat spaghetti pasta, chicken broth and water, onions halved and sliced, butter and olive oil, thyme and cheese and arugula and seasoning. Everything! Let’s go!
The onions. Oh the onions. They actually cook longer than the pasta itself. The onions need a bit of caressing with butter and olive oil and low heat.
Progress. It’s hard not to hover and stir, but the onions do need quality time with the heat. They need to sit and simmer a bit.
This is about when I get super impatient and start to think of worms.
Golden brown, studded with fresh thyme, seasoned with salt and pepper rather aggressively.
Deglazing the hot pan with water and chicken broth. The steam! The best part.
Welcome to the party, pasta! We need you.
We do a little dance on the stovetop. Simmer with the lid on for a bit. Stir with the lid off for a bit. Simmer with the lid on again. Fluff with the lid off.
It’ll all come together in about 10 magical minutes.
Related: I need more magical minutes in all of my days. RIGHT!?
Taste and most likely add: salt and pepper, way too much parmesan cheese, and handfuls of fresh arugula.
By now your neighbors are likely knocking on the door because you made the world smell AMAZING! Share the pasta, not the stresses.
This pasta is both slightly sweet and salty. As the onions cook down, they take on a tender and sweet quality. It’s lovely, but you may find yourself adding a bit more salt and parmesan cheese than you might expect. I love the spice that fresh arugula adds to the pasta. Red pepper flakes are also divine. You want to add cooked sausage too!? Heck yes!
Happy Weekend!
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One-Pot French Onion Pasta
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
- 3 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- parmesan cheese
- fresh arugula
Instructions
- Place a large heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter and stir until butter is melted. Add the sliced onions all at once. Stir to coat the onions in the fat. Allow onions to cook, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes. Add salt, pepper and thyme and stir. Allow the onions to cook for about 4 minutes at a time. Lower the heat if the onions are browning too quickly. The onions will begin to brown, break down, and resemble an onion jam.
- When onions are entirely browned and completely soft (about 15 minutes), add the water and chicken broth to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any burned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the pasta all at once.
- Return to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Place the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid to toss and stir the pasta for about 3 minutes. Return the lid and allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and taste the pasta for doneness. There will still be just under an inch of liquid in the pot. Allow the pasta to cook more (if it was still crunchy), or allow some of the liquid to cook off. It’s about your preference. I like a bit of the broth remaining. Plus, the pasta will absorb more of the liquid as it sits.
- To serve, spoon into large bowls, top with parmesan cheese and fresh arugula.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
142 Responses
Hello Joy, keep on with the amazing recipes! I’ve made this one and it is G R E A T
Can I try adding some bacon or chicken to the recipe?
Absolutely!
Made this last night and am currently shoving the delicious leftovers in my face while browsing what to make next!
We made this on a rainy Monday & it made the Monday feel not-so-rainy. DELICIOUS :)
Joy, I have to say that I only made this last night because the fridge was pretty bare and it was one of the few things I could make work. But … it was delicious – just what I didn’t know I wanted. I guess that’s one definition of comfort food, right? Will be making this again for sure.
Wonderful!
I realize this is sort of missing the point, but is there a way I could do this with spaghetti squash instead of pasta?
This was delicious! My whole family loved it and it was so great for a weeknight meal.
You, ma’am, are the BEST. This is exactly what I needed today – my apartment smells amazing, my mind is calm and my belly is full. Thank you!
Success!
I’ve tried this with chicken stock and beef stock. I have to say I prefer the beef stock, but I think that’s just me looking for a French onion soup with pasta! Both are great. I’ve tried adding leftover chicken to the chicken stock version which is tasty. Thanks for this recipe!
The house still smelled yummy the next day. :-)
Umm, would this be totally weird if you only had beef broth in your fridge (not chicken)?!
Would this work if I add bell peppers/carrots? And leave out the arugula.
Yes, for sure, do that thing, extra vegetables is always a good idea!
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try and adapt it for the slow cooker since I have no stove – those gorgeous onion photos will be a lifesaver for figuring out timings :)
Great recipe! I added a bit of white wine and used beef stock. Such a rich delicious pasta! I forgot that it was meant to have cheese and had to use up a bit of cheddar but it was a great touch to an already delicious dish
Joy, what brand of spaghetti did you use? It looks delicious.
Bucatini spaghetti! It’s the one with the hole in the middle.
When i make this, I stir a little cream and flat leaf parsley through at the end. Oh, its good.
Thankyou Joy.
I made this on the weekend and it is INCREDIBLE. I do not say that lightly – probably the easiest and most basic set of ingredients for the most delicious result ever. I will be making this again and again.
I was wondering why you chose to use chicken broth instead of beef broth, since that is what is normally used in french onion soup, it seems.
This chest cold is dreadful I think I need this dish.
Ash
http://www.theboardandwire.com
Definitely late to this party…but this was fantastic. I used homemade smoked ham broth and it was amazing. Thank you for another great recipe!
“Let’s make out with pasta, just a little.” Yessss
I love this one-pan method! Will definitely try. My favorite thing to add to pasta with caramelized onions is buttery toasted breadcrumbs, which I think would be fantastic here.
The colors of these photos are great.
if i cant get hold of arugula [what is that by the way?] can i use rocket or spinach?
im so going to try this!! love spaghetti, love parmesan, love onions!! what’s not to like??? :D love your recipes joy, keep them coming!! :D
holy moly. I just made this and it was almost too good. I think I ate half a kilo of spaghetti.
There is no such thing as too much spaghetti, Anne!
Joy, I’m new to your site and have been combing through your recipes, trying to page myself. It’s the Saturday before Easter and there’s no way I’m going to the store, so I made this with adaptations. My onions were a little older than I prefer, so maybe that explains why they went “jammy” but not really caramelized. I also tossed in 3 slices of bacon about halfway through. To Ella, who was asking about veggie broth, I used it and found it very flavorful too. I used half a package of TJ’s orzo and half a package of whole wheat spaghetti (Costco) since they had the same cooking times. The orzo stuck to the bottom of my (round) dutch oven but loosened up once I let it sit with the heat off. I’m waiting for my husband to come home for lunch and the house smells amazing. Thank you for “Easter” lunch! Next up is probably your banana pecan strawberry cake.
Massive fail using Gluten free spaghetti :(
Hands down, the best one-pot dinner ever!
My god this was such a big hit for dinner. It was so delicious! I had three helpings and now I can’t move. Hehe thank you so much for thia recipe!
Looks wonderful! Any tips on modifying this for a slow cooker?
I’m a little late but can’t wait to try this tonight! Thank you so much for the inspiration. I, too, was having a wtf for dinner day.
Update & leftovers! The pasta was amazing! Again thank you. But it turned out the night I made it both my boys had unexpected sleepovers (else where) & my hubby worked late. I ended up with a lot of leftover pasta!
Last night I put the delicious leftovers to good use:
What’s for dinner?
Salmon over your amazing pasta
with a North African “herb lemon sauce” on top of the salmon
and ceasar salad w/homemade dressing.
Thanks to Tasting Table for the inspiration!
https://www.tastingtable.com/…/182…/How_to_Make_Chermoula.htm
It was divine!
It’s almost done!!! I’m dipping focaccia bread into the broth because I’m impatient. It’s Sunday, and it’s cool and rainy, so definitely the perfect day for this recipe. Cheers!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was just amazing. I loved it, my husband loved it, and for what it’s worth, my three-year-old and two-year-old asked for thirds! Thank you for this!
I don’t know where I saw this just recently- maybe you put it on Facebook? But I made it tonight and it was incredible!!! My kids loved it too, they said it tasted like ramen.
So glad the kids loved it!!
Oh. My. GAWD!
Just made this and it was so good. I love French onion soup but this is some sort of evolution of deliciousness.
A bajillion thanks for sharing this recipe.
Would it work with thinly sliced chicken instead of sausage?
Thank you for this, Joy. My schedule is such that I have the Monday stresses, and I’ve had this browser tab open the whole day. Just looking at the onion photo makes me feel all happy. Looking forward to making this soon!
So good, Joy! Also I made this out of things I already have in my kitchen and since in Norway all the stores are closed on Sundays… this is an extra win!
do you think i could replace the spaghetti with rice? sounds delicious!
The rice would take a lot longer to cook and absorb most of the liquid, I’d recommend making rice on the side and then adding a scoop to the soup separately before serving!
Oh man. I want to make this, but am sadly out of both onions and broth… and thyme! How did this happen? This is just sad. Sad! I’ll be putting the ingredients on my grocery list and making this over the weekend.
um. yummmmmmm!!! thanks for posting this. i was in a wtf do i make for dinner rut!
Ha, well I’m glad I could help! I’ve been there myself from time to time!
eep! Forgot to mention, HOLY LORD, do I love Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Wow. GREAT call. xo
Oh, this is perfect on many levels.
1) I LOVE slow-cooked onions. Julia Childs’ soupe à l’oignon is SO simple and involves much stirring and onion amazingness–your pasta recipe promises the same,
2) I am hoping to host a dinner soon-ish, and have a few vegetarian friends, and this would be GREAT for them,
3) I totally get that Sunday thing. When I was in high school, I’d watch the Sunday Night Movie and feel stressed the whole time ’cause I’d not done my homework for Monday, so Sunday nights are kind of tainted forever. And I cannot hear the theme song to that show (of yore) w/o feeling dread. Even tho’ I’m in my 40s. =)
4) THANK YOU, Joy. You rock. xoxo
I will not be able to fully sleep at night until I make this!
Dearest Joy — I’ve just made this recipe tonight and it was a glorious event! :) I happened to have two small links of spicy pork chorizo in the fridge, so I crumbled it up and tossed it in the pan once the oil and butter were warm but before the onions joined the party. Out of control good. Also, I didn’t have spaghetti but macaroni elbows so I used 12 ounces of that and it was perfect (it required a few more minutes of cooking time to reach al dente BUT it made the whole wormyness of the recipe a full-on thing! The arugula really adds a fantastic touch (here in New Zealand we call arugula “rocket,” lah tee dah). Thanks for the inspiration!
Made this and it was sooo good. Added some Italian sausage and roasted zucchini so it was like a 3 pot meal but whatev. Thanks!
i am obsessed with this recipe! so easy and so good. every bist of pasta has carmelized onion goodness…..THANK YOU Joy!!
Mmmm – onions and pasta and cheese? Favourite combination! I need to experiment a bit more with my pasta dishes so this is definitely going on the list.
Joy, I made this yesterday and it was fab!! I ended up using a mixture of quinioa and millet instead of pasta and just increased the liquid by 3/4 of a cup! It turned out lovely, and the leftovers look like they’ll be easy to reheat with just a dash of extra stock! You’re right, my house smelled DIVINE, and the punch of arugula really helped brighten the monotone flavor of the grains. This will definitely be made again in the fall! I tagged my results with #joythebaker on my instagram (megan_jenkins_).
Made this baby with extra sausage, as per suggestion. Everybody loved it. Doffing my imaginary top hat.
I have tried your recipe twice ! So true that it is difficult to be patient !! Yum yum, thank you so much, it’s one of my fave now !
I made this yesterday – holiday Monday so-kinda-Sunday – and it was SO AMAZING. Perfect way to wind down the weekend. And enough for lunch on Tuesday. Thank you!
Finally got around to making this…on a Monday night. You know, it also helps with Monday stresses! :-D Was simple and delicious. Definitely a great comfort food. I will be making this one again.
Just tried this, love it!
THIS. sounds. amazing.
Totally craving!!
This is delicious! I added some black olives and anchovies because I didn’t have arugula and parmesan. A whole different recipe I guess. But the onions, so sweet!
This looks delicious! Perfect for less washing up :)
Me and my husband just finished eating this. I didn’t have any thyme so I threw in some dried sage and salciccia I took out of the casings and browned and WHOA. I ate a giant portion and I am fairly certain I’m going to dive back into it within the hour. I could live in a bowl of this pasta. Amazing and totally on my meal rotation as my favorite one pot pasta dish!
As for keeping it one pot, I simply browned the sausage in my big heavy bottomed pot before I caramelized the onions and tossed it back in before I added the broth! This was absolutely fantastic! Thank you, Joy!
Note: I used fresh pasta and it cooked a bit faster but worked just fine with the 2.5cup broth measurement.
Tried it….turned out awesome ????????
So want to try this with gluten-free pasta but I’m scared!! Because this pasta looks like the bee’s knees!!
i haven’t tried this with gluten free pasta but i think it could work!
made this tonight. big hit!! i’ve been following you forever. thanks
this is fantastic news!
Great recipe! I just tired it and loved it. One thing I will keep in mind for next time is to add more water. Mine could use a bit more – not sure if I over estimated the pasta amount or what. But regardless, delicious!
Looks delicious! Love the arugula idea :)
Any helpful tips for someone on a really limited diet to sub out the butter? Caramelized onions and butter are pretty inseparable but if anyone has any ideas I’d love to hear them!
It’s missing the blanket of cheese!!
I’m having this pasta right now for dinner and OH MY GOD! It’s winter in Brazil and this is just so conforting and delicious… Please, everyone, MAKE THIS! Thanks for sharing, Joy!
I feel like you wrote this recipe just for me. Pasta, caramelized onions, arugula, and parmesan cheese. All I can say is YES!
i did! juuuusst for you! xo
I maintain that my Sunday stress is the worst – as I have to get up at 4:30 in the morning to get on a bus for two hours to go to work on Monday morning! lol
Hi Joy! I just tried this recipe yesterday and it was delicious! It was a cold, cold sunday and I was thinking about what could I cook without having to spend too much time freezing my hands while dishwashing after lunch. This was the perfect solution. Only 8 dirty dishes! (yes, I counted it). Thank you so much! <3
Hello Marina! I’m so happy to hear that you made it! I wish it was cold over here!
This. Was. Delicious!!! My husband even raved about it…and he’s picky when it comes to food. He added crispy onions, and it was great. Thank you!
This sounds like one of the most comforting dinners ever! Nom nom nom. :)
Talk about comfort in a pot! Love all the flavors of soup in a pasta, when in doubt, add more carbs!
I don”t even like pasta that much, but I LOVE onions and this sounds amazing!!! Its Sunday and this WILL be dinner!!!
I made this and it is truly delicious. And my 2 year old ate it. Which is a miracle.
I always think of worms when I’m caramelizing onions. I once tried to do it in a crockpot because the internet said it would work, but it was wrong. A giant wet pile of wormy looking onions was what stared back at me after cooking all night and I had to finish them in a pot.
Anyway, I had to share my wormy thoughts. Will definitely try this pasta too.
I made this tonight and it was really good. I was worried about the pasta cooking correctly so I kept it on med heat with the lid on. I also added garlic. Thanks for the great new dish.
made this tonight…it was delish, thanks :)
A) It’s called Sunday SUICIDE and it’s so real.
B) I’m making this recipe the week after next when I don’t have to be in a bridesmaid dress that’s a wee bit too small for me… that’s custom made???
C) Thank you for this and your podcast!
Joy,Making this as i write in an old,old pot. What brand is your lovely white pot,please! Thanks for being exactly who we love!
Oh, that looks so good!
This looks wonderful, thank you for sharing it! This post has really reminded me that I am far from adventurous with my cooking and that I need to expand my horizons a little (.. or a lot)!!
https://findmethoseheels.blogspot.co.uk/
x
I first came by your blog via your delicious blueberry israeli couscous salad. Favorite. Salad. Of. All. Time! Anyway, I love the way you write your recipes… Like we could be sitting at the kitchen table having just enjoyed a meal and you’re passing on your secrets. This recipe is just perfect! I was struggling for dinner inspiration, and now I dont even need to go to the shops! Thanks! :)
i am definitely guilty of repinning these images way too many times.. looks seriously delicious, i could so devour a bowl right now.
This looks seriously amazing!! Definitely want to try this!
https://addalittle.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/flaxseed-crackers/
Double genius. Joy! Killing it x
I think we can all relate! My sister and I call it “The Sunday Blues.” What a great post! Complete with a plan for a delicious meal…one less thing to stress about.
In my house, Sunday evening is known as damn-it-all-to-hell time. This pasta looks delicious. I’m going to add sausage, because sausage.
I think you could make a whole series on one-pot dishes. Like a week’s worth of one-pot dishes. If you don’t do it, I will. But, I’d really rather you do it. Shimmy.
i’m brainstorming a one-pot pie as we speak! i really like the way you think. also… you should totally do it!
Looks great. I don’t eat pasta often, but I’ll keep this in mind for the next time I do.
Do you think this would lose any deliciousness by using veggie broth instead of the chicken broth? Mainly vegan/vegetarian in this family… Other than that, this looks like a surefire cure for the Sunday Blues :)
https://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
I have suffered from this problem my house life. Even as a kid. My my always said I got the “sunday night blues”. Ack!
Oh yummy! I totally feel ya on the Sunday stressors (except, for me it’s Monday stressors as I work Tuesdays-Saturdays). I need to make this for my mother, who LOVES french onion anything.
I can’t WAIT to make this – such total comfort food, and I love the one-pot deal!
This sounds amazing – can’t wait to try it! I live in a part of the country that grows tons of onions, so we always have awesome onions around here, and cheap!
Quick question – I always cook a pound of pasta (esp. when it is the main course – my family turns into pasta devouring maniacs!) – so if I increase the broth and the water by 1/2 cup each, do you think that would be too much?
Already figuring out if I can do this for this upcoming Sunday – thanks again!
Ugh I got you girl, Sunday afternoon are the worst! I started planning fun things on Sunday nights to make things better, like tacos on a patio or beers with friends, yesss!
tacos make most things much better!
lets make out with pasta. HA! but i totally get it. its been chilly up where i am and feels like fall outside anyway, so pasta makes sense for me
Ha ha . . . I also think caramelized onions look like worms. :D
I wonder what it would be like if you replaced some of the water (or all of it) with red wine…?
I totally understand the Sunday stress phenom. I would get physically ill on Sunday evenings just knowing that I had to get up and go to work on Monday. Then a miracle happened: my job allowed us to work 4-10’s (instead of 5-8’s) and I picked Monday as my off day! It’s amazing how much I love Sunday’s now! It really doesn’t affect me on Monday like it use to on Sunday. Weird. Wonderful.
I think adding a good glug of red or white wine would be lovely! And I’m so happy to know that you don’t get the Monday Stresses. That’s pretty wonderful!
Oh man, this looks delicious and I love that it’s in one pot – less washing up = happy me! French onions are just my favourite things ever and along with the pasta, I can’t think of a better dinner recipe!
You’re the best!
Will there be a Pinterest link?
i don’t understand.
I also don’t understand.
I third this not understanding situation happening here.
Didn’t find a link to it on Pinterest earlier. Found it now.
I LOVE comedians in cars, it’s the best, this dish looks absolutely delicious,can’t wait to try this! I think hanging out with you on on Sunday would be fun.
I thought I was the only one who had a case of the Sunday stresses! It’s all great until the mimosa buzz wears off, isn’t it?
This pasta sounds like my dream. And I love Comedians in Cars! Such a good show :)
exactly exactly!
You are so right about Sundays!! they are awesome until about noon then the reality of the week to come sets in. This pasta is genius and i definetly will be trying it. Hopefully it can help me beat the still Sunday not quite Monday Blues.
i’m rooting for us!
That pasta looks amazing. Maybe we’ll have that Sunday after church!
I love the one pot idea joy! This sounds just as good as your french onion grilled cheese!
Pasta on Sundays should be a requirement and one that I could totally get on board with! And French onion pasta?! Sign me up, looks amazing!
Boy I can relate. I’m Italian, Sunday is pasta day, simmering sauce all morning while your at church and sitting down to a plate of pasta and sauce or pasta made with vegetables, garlic, onions or any veggie mama could throw in. Whatever way her creativity flowed. COMFORT FOOD AT ITS BEST. I feel pasta on Sundays gets you ready for the week ahead, whether good or bad you just can’t wait till Sunday to eat more pasta again. One nice thing on Sunday, we ate at twelve and then again at six more pasta, slept like a baby till Monday. Brings back memories of home and mama. Was a joy to read. No pun intended. LOL Paulette
thank you for your awesome comment Paulette!
This looks so delicious! I’m definitely trying this out on Sunday!
Simply delicious! I love caramelized onions.
That post was so amazing I think I might cry. I can just imagine the caramelised sweetness. Going to try this soon. My tastebuds are going to love you!
http://www.clementinebuttercup.blogspot.co.uk
Comedians in Cars (Getting Coffee) makes me so happy!
it’s the best thing!
I’m a pasta-maker-outer. Don’t tell anybody…
i just told EVERYONE. not sorry.
This looks incredible! I make a delicious french onion soup that my BF loves, but it always hurts my stomach because it’s so rich. I’ll bet this would be a more palatable version! Gotta try it.
Cat
https://oddlylovely.com
Man, I’m not sure there is much else better than a bit pot of noodles with an overabundance of onions. Heaven. Also, Sunday stresses are totally real and definitely ruin my feel good weekend mood sometimes. Super downer. But then there are noodles!
Ooh the progression of the onions throughout these shots is gorgeous… love your photos and this creative recipe!