Description
A rich and comforting French Onion Pasta combining caramelized onions, mushrooms, pancetta, and a creamy cheese sauce with layers of beef and chicken broth, white wine, and flavorful seasonings for a decadent and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz. white button mushrooms
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 4 oz. pancetta, diced
- ⅔ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 medium yellow onions, sliced into ¼-inch strings (about 15 oz.)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ¾ pound orecchiette pasta
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: Combine the sauce ingredients including beef broth, chicken broth, half and half, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, dried parsley, thyme, and oregano in a large measuring cup and set aside. Measure out the other ingredients before starting the cooking process.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Pancetta: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Sauté for 3 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to deepen flavor. Add pancetta and sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Deglaze Skillet with Wine: Turn the heat off briefly, add white wine to the skillet, then turn heat back to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape and clean the bottom and sides of the skillet to incorporate flavorful browned bits into the sauce.
- Cook Onions: Add butter and sliced onions to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes to soften the onions.
- Caramelize Onions: Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking the onions while stirring frequently until deeply caramelized, about 35 minutes. Adjust heat or add small amounts of olive oil or wine if needed to prevent burning and maintain moisture.
- Boil Pasta Water: While onions caramelize, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ½ tablespoon kosher salt once boiling and prepare the pasta for cooking.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Stir minced garlic into the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to form a roux.
- Add Sauce to Onions: Gradually add the reserved sauce mixture in small splashes to the skillet, stirring continuously. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer, partially covered, while cooking the pasta.
- Cook Pasta: Cook orecchiette pasta in boiling salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta once done.
- Incorporate Cheese: Reduce sauce heat to low. Gradually sprinkle in Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses while stirring continuously until fully melted and combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Add sautéed mushrooms and pancetta back into the sauce and stir to blend flavors. Gradually add the cooked pasta to the sauce, stirring to reach your desired sauce-to-pasta ratio.
- Serve: Once combined thoroughly and warmed, serve the French Onion Pasta immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Wine: Use Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay for best flavor. If avoiding wine, use all chicken or all beef broth.
- Pasta: Orecchiette is recommended, but penne, ziti, medium shells, cavatappi, farfalle, or rigatoni work well too.
- Cheese: Shred cheese from blocks for better melting and flavor; whole milk, low moisture mozzarella can substitute Gruyere.
- Add cheese over low heat to avoid dairy separation and grainy texture.
- Mushrooms: White button mushrooms are ideal; baby portabella or cremini are good alternatives.
- Onions: Slice uniformly to ensure even caramelization.
- Hot Sauce: Adds flavor without spiciness; Frank’s Hot Sauce is preferred.
- Pancetta: Substitute bacon or finely diced ham, or use ½ bouillon cube for a vegetarian option to maintain savory depth.
- Broth: Combination of chicken and beef broth adds complex flavor; can use all of one type if preferred.
- Pasta Water: Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if it becomes too thick or clumpy.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
