Ingredients
Pasta and onion sauce
- 2 lb yellow onions 907 g after peeling; thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter 28 g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
- 3 garlic cloves about 9 g, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 cup vegetable broth 240 ml
- 12 oz dry rigatoni 340 g
- 3 L water for boiling the pasta; reserve 1 cup (240 ml) before draining
- 4 oz Gruyère cheese 113 g, finely grated
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
Equipment
- Wide skillet 12-inch / 30-cm, with enough room for the onions
- Large pasta pot
- Colander
- Wooden spoon
- Chef’s knife and cutting board
- Cheese grater
- Measuring cup and spoons
Instructions
Caramelize and combine
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a 12-inch (30-cm) skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and fine salt; stir to coat, then cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to soften.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 35–45 minutes more, stirring regularly, until the onions are very soft and deep golden brown. If brown patches catch on the pan before the onions are ready, add 1 tablespoon water and scrape gently; reduce the heat if they darken too quickly.
- When the onions are nearly ready, bring the 3 liters water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the rigatoni according to its package until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) cooking water, then drain.
- Stir the garlic and thyme into the onions for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth, scraping up the brown residue, and simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add the drained rigatoni and 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved cooking water to the skillet; toss for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the Gruyère in small handfuls, stirring until melted. Stir in the vinegar and pepper.
- Add more of the reserved water a little at a time if needed, until the sauce lightly coats the pasta. Divide into 4 servings and serve promptly.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcal
Video
Notes
Onion timing varies with pan width, heat and moisture; use a deep golden-brown color and soft texture as your guide. For more thyme on top, use a small pinch of the measured leaves before serving. Contains wheat and milk. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C), use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F / 74°C.
Video credit: Chef Jean-Pierre demonstrates caramelized-onion pasta with Gruyère. His version also uses wine, cream, additional cheeses and crispy fried leeks; follow the quantities and method above for this simpler broth-based version.
Calories are an ingredient-based estimate per one-quarter of the recipe, calculated from measured ingredients using USDA standard-reference values and the vegetable-broth label. The estimate assumes all measured butter, oil, cheese and seasoning are eaten, excludes side dishes, and varies with brands and portions.