Caramelized Onion Pasta

blender

Prep time

skillet

Cook time

35 mins

timer

Total time

55 mins

All you need for this tasty dinner is a bag of onions, garlic, some dried pasta, and cheese. Caramelizing sliced onions in a little butter and olive oil makes them become sweet and yielding, almost luscious. Pasta water and Parmesan do double duty, adding salt and depth while the creamy sauce forms.

Source

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium until butter is melted. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender and deeply golden brown, about 30 minutes. (Stop before the onions become dry and shriveled.) Add red pepper flakes (if using) and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Remove pot from heat.

  2. 2

    Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid.

  3. 3

    Add pasta and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to onion mixture and stir to combine. Add a small handful of cheese and stir until melted. Repeat with remaining cheese, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed to create a glossy sauce that coats the pasta. Stir in parsley (if using).

  4. 4

    Divide pasta among bowls. Top with Parmesan, parsley, and a few cranks of pepper.

Ingredients

Servings:

servings

  • R 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • R 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • R 2 lb. onions (about 3 large), thinly sliced
  • R 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • R 0.25 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • R 1.5 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
  • R 12 oz. linguine or other long pasta
  • R 4 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), divided, plus more for serving
  • R 0.5 cup parsley, finely chopped (optional), plus more for serving
  • R Freshly ground black pepper

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