Caramelized onions make everything better, and this creamy caramelized onion pasta is proof. Sweet, golden onions are cooked down in butter and olive oil, then stirred with a few extra ingredients into a silky, rosy cream sauce that clings to every strand of spaghetti. It’s rich and cozy, made with simple pantry staples, and there’s no wine needed.
It’s the kind of easy weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent way more effort on it than you did. If you love a creamy pasta, you’ll also want to try my pink sauce pasta and this tahini pasta.
Everyone in my family loved this, but honestly, its biggest fan was me! I was raving with every bite. I think I told my husband five different times, “This is the best pasta I’ve ever made!”
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What makes this a great Every Little Crumb recipe:
- No wine needed: all the depth comes from the caramelized onions, tomato paste and spices.
- The flavor: Mind-blowing! The caramelized onions add a beautiful sweetness, while the cream adds richness and balances it out.
- Pantry staples: onions, garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs, cream and Parmesan.
- Ready in about 35 minutes: the pasta cooks while the onions caramelize.
- Restaurant-style: silky, creamy and fancy enough for guests.
- Family-friendly: easy to make milder for kids by skipping the chili flakes.
Ingredients you need:
- Pasta: long pasta like spaghetti or linguine holds on to the creamy sauce best.
- Olive oil and butter: butter for flavor, and olive oil to help keep the butter from burning while the onions cook.
- Yellow onions: sliced thinly so they caramelize evenly.
- Garlic: fresh crushed garlic plus garlic powder.
- Tomato paste: adds depth and gives the sauce its color.
- Spices and dried herbs: paprika, dried basil, dried oregano, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper.
- Pasta water: the starchy cooking water helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Heavy cream (whipping cream)
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated melts the smoothest.
- Fresh parsley: optional, for garnish.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make creamy caramelized onion pasta:
Before you start, cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and set it aside for the sauce.
- Step 1: Add the olive oil and butter to a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- Step 2: Once the butter melts, add the thinly sliced onions.
- Step 3: Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and golden. If they start to dry out or stick, add a splash of water.
- Step 4: Add the crushed garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Step 5: Add the tomato paste.
- Step 6: Add the paprika, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper.
- Step 7: Stir everything together for about a minute so the tomato paste and spices coat the onions.
- Step 8: Pour in ½ cup of the pasta water and the cream. You can add more later if the sauce needs it.
- Step 9: Stir until the sauce is smooth and evenly combined.
- Step 10: Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 11: Add the Parmesan cheese and stir it into the sauce.
- Step 12: Add the drained pasta and toss until every strand is coated in the sauce.
Hint: Start with ½ cup of pasta water and add more a splash at a time. It’s much easier to thin the sauce out than to thicken it.
Pro Tip
Don’t rush the onions. Keep the heat at medium and stir often. Turning up the heat will burn them before they have a chance to caramelize and turn sweet.
How to serve:
Serve it right away, while the sauce is creamy and warm, topped with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
This is delicious paired with a corn arugula salad and some crusty bread.
If you want to add some extra protein, you can make these easy chicken breasts.
Recipe variations:
- Add protein: toss in cooked chicken or shrimp at the end.
- Add greens: stir a handful of baby spinach into the sauce and let it wilt before adding the pasta.
- Spicy: add extra red chili flakes.
- Kid-friendly: skip the chili flakes.
- Gluten-free: use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Storing Leftovers:
- Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this one, since cream sauces can separate once thawed.
- Make ahead: caramelize the onions up to 3 days ahead and keep them in the fridge.
Expert tips and tricks:
- Slice the onions evenly so they all caramelize at the same rate.
- Use a large, deep skillet. It gives the onions room to brown and fits the pasta for tossing.
- Grate your own Parmesan. Freshly grated cheese melts into a smoother sauce.
- Reserve the pasta water before draining. It’s easy to forget!
Top Tip
When you pour in the pasta water and cream, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. That’s where a lot of the flavor is!
Recipe FAQs:
In this recipe, the onions cook for about 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, until they are golden and caramelized. If they start to dry out or stick to the pan, add a splash of water and keep stirring.
Yes! This recipe doesn’t use any wine at all. The tomato paste, paprika, dried herbs and starchy pasta water give the sauce plenty of depth and flavor.
I use yellow onions. They’re easy to find and turn sweet and golden as they caramelize.
The pasta is best served fresh, while the sauce is silky. To get a head start, caramelize the onions ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then warm them in the skillet and continue from the garlic step.
Cream sauces thicken as they sit, and the pasta soaks some of it up. Add a splash more pasta water and toss until the sauce loosens up again.
If you liked this recipe, you might like:
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Pairing:
These go great with creamy caramelized onion pasta:
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Creamy Caramelized Onion Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Large deep skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Tongs
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti or linguine 250 g, about ½ pack
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 180 ml
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- fresh parsley, chopped optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Add the olive oil and butter to a large deep skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the sliced onions and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until caramelized and golden. If they start to dry out, add a splash of water.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute, then add the tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, basil, oregano, chili flakes, salt and pepper, and stir for a minute.
- Add ½ cup of the pasta water and the cream, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if needed to thin out the sauce.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese, then add the drained pasta and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired!
Video
Notes
- Any long pasta works here, like spaghetti or linguine.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest sauce.
- Adjust the chili flakes to taste, or skip them for kids.
- Don’t rush the onions. Keep the heat at medium, stir often, and add a splash of water if they stick.
- Start with ½ cup of pasta water and add more as needed.
- Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan when you add the liquid.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat with a splash of water or milk.
- Freezing isn’t recommended, since cream sauces can separate once thawed.
- To get ahead, caramelize the onions up to 3 days in advance and keep them in the fridge.
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