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French Onion Pasta Bake takes everything you love about the classic soup and turns it into a bubbling, cheesy pasta dinner. Rich, cozy, and loaded with caramelized onions and melty cheese.
Cheesy Caramelized French Onion Pasta Bake
If you’re a fan of French onion soup, this pasta bake is going to be dangerous. It has all the things that make the soup great: deeply caramelized onions, thyme, broth, and a mountain of cheese. Except now it all clings to pasta and bakes into a golden, bubbling skillet you’ll want to eat straight from the pan.
What I like most is how straightforward it is. Caramelize the onions, boil some pasta, pile on the cheese, and let the oven finish the job. It tastes like comfort, looks impressive, and honestly feels like cheating because it’s so easy.
Why You’ll Love My French Onion Pasta Bake
- Deep, rich flavor from slowly caramelized onions that make the whole dish taste like French onion soup.
- Loads of melted Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan for that stretchy, bubbly, cheesy top.
- Straightforward steps that look impressive but are actually simple to pull off.
- Uses pantry staple ingredients. Nothing complicated.
- Bakes in one skillet for an easy, cozy weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-worthy.
Ingredients and Tips
- Slice the onions thin so they caramelize evenly. Thick slices take forever and cook unevenly.
- Take your time with the caramelizing. Rushing this step means missing all the deep French onion flavor you want.
- Use low sodium beef broth. Regular broth can make the dish too salty once the cheese melts in.
- Gruyère gives the classic French onion taste. Mozzarella adds stretch. Parmesan adds punch. Use all three if you can.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente. It finishes in the oven and absorbs the broth without turning mushy.
- If you’re using wine, choose something dry. If not, extra broth works perfectly fine.
- Make sure your skillet or Dutch oven is oven safe. This whole recipe moves from stovetop to oven in one go.
Melt the butter over medium heat and add the sliced onions with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deep golden and caramelized. This is where all the flavour comes from, so don’t rush it.
Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for about a minute. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for another minute to remove the raw flour taste and help thicken the sauce.
Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it reduce for about 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
While the onions simmer, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat it in the onion mixture. Top with the Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan so it melts into a bubbly, golden layer.
Transfer the skillet to a 375°F oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned around the edges.
Let it rest for a few minutes, then serve hot with extra thyme if you like. The cheese pull is worth the wait.
How To Serve It
French Onion Pasta Bake is rich, cheesy, and full of deep onion flavor, so you want sides that balance or complement that richness. Here’s how I like to serve it:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of onion?
Yes. Yellow onions work best for sweetness and caramelizing, but white onions or sweet onions will also do the job. Just avoid red onions because they turn the sauce murky.
Do I have to use wine?
No. White wine adds flavor, but extra beef broth works perfectly. Just make sure to scrape up all the browned bits so you keep that depth of flavor.
What white wine works best?
Choose a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay. Stay away from sweet wines because they make the dish taste sugary rather than savory. If you wouldn’t mind drinking it, it’s perfect for cooking.
Why is my pasta mushy?
It was cooked too long before going into the oven. Boil it just shy of al dente because it finishes cooking in the sauce.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Absolutely. Penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or any short pasta with grooves works. You want something that can hold the caramelized onions and cheese.
How do I store leftovers?
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors get even deeper by the next day.
Can I freeze this pasta bake?
Yes. Freeze in a covered, oven-safe dish for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven until hot and bubbly.
Can I make it ahead?
You can caramelize the onions and cook the pasta ahead. Assemble right before baking for the best texture.
Try These Recipes Next
- Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Chicken Bacon Pasta
- Skillet Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Kiev Pasta
- Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
French Onion Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine optional, can sub extra broth
- 3 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1 pound penne or similar
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deeply caramelized.
- Stir in the thyme and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle the flour over the onions. Stir and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Drain well.
- Add the pasta to the onion mixture and stir to coat. Sprinkle with Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra thyme if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- Be patient with onions. Don’t rush them. The flavor comes from letting the onions cook down until they’re jammy and golden.
- Wine or no wine. Dry white wine adds great depth, but extra beef broth works perfectly if you prefer not to use it.
- Salt the pasta water. The pasta should be well seasoned before hitting the skillet, since the sauce stays mild and brothy.
- Choose the right cheese. Gruyère gives the dish its signature French onion flavor, mozzarella melts for stretch, and Parmesan adds sharpness.
- Watch the bake time. You want the top deeply golden but not too dark. Pull it once the edges bubble and the cheese browns beautifully.
- Make it ahead. Assemble everything without baking, cover and refrigerate up to one day. Bake uncovered, adding 5 to 10 minutes as needed.
- Reheats nicely. A quick warm-up in the oven brings the cheese back to life much better than the microwave.
