Caramelized Onion Cream Pasta (Printable Version)

Silky noodles in a rich Parmesan cream sauce with sweet golden caramelized onions, ready in 55 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz fettuccine or spaghetti

→ Caramelized Onions

02 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp sugar
06 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Cream Sauce

07 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
13 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining in a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and salt.
03 - Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 25 to 30 minutes until they turn a deep golden brown. If the onions begin to stick to the pan, add a splash of water to deglaze and continue cooking.
04 - Stir the minced garlic into the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Reduce the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt to taste.
06 - Transfer the drained pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a silky, creamy consistency that clings to each strand.
07 - Plate immediately and finish with chopped fresh parsley and an extra sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • Those deeply caramelized onions taste like you spent all day in the kitchen, even though the hands on work is surprisingly minimal.
  • The cream sauce is luscious without being heavy, thanks to the balance of milk and Parmesan working together.
  • It turns the most humble vegetable in your pantry into something that feels like a restaurant dish.
02 -
  • Do not rush the onions, turning up the heat to save time will give you charred strips instead of that sweet, melted jamminess you are after.
  • Saving the pasta water is not optional here, it is the difference between a sauce that slides off the noodles and one that embraces them.
03 -
  • Slice the onions from pole to pole rather than across the equator, they hold their shape better during the long cook and create more elegant strands in the finished dish.
  • If the cream sauce breaks or looks greasy, a splash of pasta water and vigorous stirring will bring it right back together, do not panic.

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