This French Onion Pasta Bake Is Everything We Love About a Cozy, Satisfying Meal

If French onion soup and a cozy baked pasta had a love child, this French onion pasta bake would be it. It’s got all the deep, rich, caramelized onion goodness of the classic soup, but with the added bonus of pasta, a luscious sauce and plenty of melty Gruyère cheese. And the best part? It all comes together in just one pot, making it the ultimate comfort meal with minimal cleanup. If you want to impress your family without a ton of effort, this French onion pasta bake has you covered.

Why you’ll love this French onion pasta bake

This dish is all about layers of flavor, as a good casserole should be. Imagine the best parts of French onion soup—the savory-sweet onions, the depth of flavor from a little wine and that much-needed blanket of cheese. Now, add pasta into the equation, and you’ve got a dish that’s comforting and unbelievably delicious. Plus, this recipe is:

• Made in one pot. Fewer dishes, more time to enjoy your meal.
• Full of flavor. Caramelized onions, fresh thyme and creamy sauce make every bite rich and satisfying.
• Perfect for leftovers. The flavors deepen overnight, making it even better the next day.

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Tips for the best French onion pasta bake

Want to take this already amazing pasta bake to the next level? Here are a few simple tricks that make a big difference.

• Take your time with the onions. Just as if you were making French onion soup, you need caramelized onions. The deeper the caramelization, the richer the flavor. Rushing this step won’t give you the same result! This recipe’s secret? Using a combination of butter, honey and dry red wine. These super stars enrich the onions with loads of flavor while helping them caramelize quickly.
• Dump the pasta in dry. We know what you’re thinking: no separate pasta pot? Turns out with this recipe, you don’t need to dirty another dish. Simply dump the dry pasta in with the caramelized onions, which only takes a few minutes.
• Use good-quality cheese. You can’t have any good casserole without bubbly, brown cheese. Gruyère is the traditional choice, but a mix of Gruyère and sharp white cheddar adds an extra punch.

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How to make French onion pasta bake

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We love how easy this recipe is from one of our favorite food blogs, Half Baked Harvest. Tieghan knows a thing or two about keeping things hearty and fast. If you don’t cook with wine, swap it out with pomegranate or cranberry juice, plus broth for balance.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2-3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 cups cremini or wild mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp. dried thyme)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth, if vegetarian)
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce (use soy sauce, if vegetarian)
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1 lb. of your favorite short cut pasta
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1¼ cups heavy cream, whole milk or canned coconut milk
• ⅓ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (optional)
• 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Directions:

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Melt the butter, onions and honey together in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about five minutes. Then, slowly add ½ cup of the wine, ¼ cup at a time, until the wine cooks into the onions. Continue to cook another eight to 10 minutes until you’ve used the ½ cup of wine and the onions are deeply caramelized.
3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper and cook another three to four minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup wine, the broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and the dry pasta. Then, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir frequently until the pasta is al dente and the broth has been absorbed, about eight to 10 minutes. Then, stir in the cayenne, cream, gorgonzola, if using and ½ cup Gruyère cheese. Remove from the heat.
4. If needed, transfer the pasta to a baking dish, then top with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and turns light brown. Cool for five minutes before serving. Top with fresh thyme.

Storing & reheating leftovers

This French onion pasta bake keeps in the fridge for up to four days. Store it in an airtight container, and when you’re ready to reheat, pop it in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave with a splash of broth to keep it creamy.