This French Onion Pasta is tossed with sautéed mushrooms and perfectly caramelized onions coated in a rich, velvety sauce of white wine, gruyere, and heavy cream. Add some roasted chicken to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a full meal.
Easy French Onion Pasta Recipe
If you’re looking for a simple and simply delicious meal to make your busy life easier but still tasty, this French onion pasta is your answer. Relive the classic French onion soup taste with perfectly tender pasta that soaks up the flavor of the rich, velvety sauce it’s cooked in. This one-pot meal is loaded with caramelized onions, tender pieces of chicken, hints of thyme, and sauteed mushrooms. It’s finished with just a touch of cream and a generous portion of gruyere cheese that just melts into the sauce, coating the pasta in a smooth, heartwarming flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Pasta
- One-pot wonder. You’ll roast the chicken separately, but the rest is all cooked in one pot for easy cleanup!
- Rich Flavor. Think caramelized onions, nutty gruyere, white wine, and a touch of herbs for a fulfilling bite.
- Creamy goodness. Melty, nutty Gruyere blends with heavy cream to make one irresistible, creamy sauce.
French Onion Pasta Ingredients
- Chicken thighs are what I use for this recipe, but you could use chicken breasts instead.
- Olive oil is used for the chicken and for the sauce.
- Salt & Pepper to season.
- Butter for the onions.
- Yellow Onions are always my go-to, but Vidalia onions would work, too.
- Garlic
- Cremini Mushrooms are my choice, but white button mushrooms would also work.
- Fresh thyme or use dried thyme instead.
- White wine, or you could use some apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar instead.
- Short pasta like orecchiette, but mezze rigatoni, farfalle, or fusilli would do the trick as well.
- Beef broth
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Heavy cream
- Freshly grated gruyere cheese will melt into the sauce much more smoothly.
- Fresh parsley
How to Make French Onion Pasta
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Season the chicken. Toss the chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper and transfer it to the baking sheet; bake for 30 minutes. When it’s done, remove it from the oven and chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Caramelize the onions. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook them over medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes until caramelized, stirring occasionally.
- Sauté the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the white wine and stir until it has mostly evaporated.
- Cook the pasta. Stir the pasta and the beef broth into the mushroom mixture and boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken the sauce. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and stir it into the pasta. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Finish it off. Turn off the heat and stir in the chicken, followed by the heavy cream and the gruyere. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Keep the broth near you when caramelizing the onions. Add broth as needed if the pan starts to dry up.
- Be patient and caramelize the onions so they are a deep brown. The flavor will deepen with the color, and it takes some time to get to that.
- Keep stirring the pasta frequently as it cooks, or it will stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Use rotisserie chicken instead of roasting your own to save some time. Remove the meat from the bone and shred it or chop it up.
- Make it vegetarian, and leave out the chicken in this recipe.
- Add veggies like spinach at the end and let it wilt into the pasta dish. Or add diced, roasted asparagus or another veggie of your choosing.
- Try a different cheese if you want. Gruyere is reminiscent of French onion soup, but you can use freshly grated parmesan or pecorino.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad. Add some light and bright greens to your meal with this La Scala Chopped Salad or my Green Goddess Salad.
- Cooked veggies. I am a fan of these Air Fryer Carrots and my Roasted Artichokes. Both make for the perfect accompaniment to this rich pasta.
- Soup. Settle in for a heartwarming meal of French onion pasta and Cream of Zucchini Soup. This Slow Cooker Leek and Potato Soup would also pair beautifully with this one-pot wonder.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator. Once the pasta has cooled to room temperature, seal it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- To reheat. Transfer the leftover pasta to a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
More Easy Pasta Dishes
- Avocado Pesto Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta
- Mexican Taco Pasta
- Mediterranean Baked Feta Pasta
- Alfredo Pasta with Steak
- Chicken Pasta Bake
French Onion Pasta
This delicious, one-pot French onion pasta is tossed with chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized onions, all coated in a rich, velvety cheese sauce.
Servings : 8 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta and sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
- ½ cup white wine
- 12 ounces orecchiette pasta, or use any other short pasta
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated gruyere cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
For the chicken
- Prep. Preheat the oven to degrees 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Season the chicken. Toss the chicken, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl until the chicken is thoroughly coated.
- Roast. Arrange the chicken on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the largest piece reads 165˚F.
- Chop. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
For the pasta and sauce
- Caramelize the onions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter over medium until the butter has melted. Add the onions and season with salt. Give everything a good stir, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the onions for 30 to 40 minutes or until very soft and caramelized, stir them occasionally. If you find the pan starts to get dry, stir in a splash of water or beef broth.
- Sauté the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms and thyme to the pan with the caramelized onions. Turn the heat to medium, and sauté until the mushrooms are nicely browned.
- Deglaze the pan. Add the white wine and stir until it has mostly evaporated.
- Cook the pasta. Stir the pasta and the beef broth into the caramelized onion mixture. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken the sauce. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and stir it into the pasta. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Finish it off. Turn off the heat and stir in the chicken, followed by the heavy cream and the gruyere. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Serve the pasta in bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Chicken: I prefer chicken thighs, but chicken breasts are a good alternative. Just tweak the cooking time. For a quick fix, swap in shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Mushrooms: Though I like to use cremini mushrooms, white button mushrooms are a good substitute.
- Wine Alternative: Instead of white wine, consider apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar.
- Pasta: I love using short pasta like orecchiette, but rigatoni, farfalle, or fusilli work great too. Stir the pasta often while cooking to prevent sticking.
- Sauce: For a creamier texture, go for freshly grated gruyere cheese. You can also use parmesan cheese.
- Caramelizing Onions: Take your time with cooking the onions to achieve a deep caramelized color. Also, have beef broth handy when working with the onions, and add some in if the pan starts to look dry.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 cups | Calories: 485 kcal | Carbohydrates: 42 g | Protein: 34 g | Fat: 19 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g | Trans Fat: 0.1 g | Cholesterol: 132 mg | Sodium: 1246 mg | Potassium: 889 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 664 IU | Vitamin C: 11 mg | Calcium: 138 mg | Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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