French Onion Pasta Without Wine (20 Minutes)

French onion pasta takes the best part of French onion soup, sweet jammy onions in a savory beef broth under a blanket of melted Gruyère, and turns it into a creamy pasta. This version skips the wine completely: broth and a splash of vinegar do the job, so it is halal and ready in 20 minutes.

“French onion pasta recipe” is rising in US Google Trends searches this month, and most viral versions call for white wine or sherry. This one does not, and you won’t miss it.

Why it is so fast

The onions are the slow part of any French onion recipe. Slicing them very thin and adding a little sugar, a tiny pinch of baking soda and splashes of water speeds the browning, so you get deep golden, jammy onions in about 14 minutes while the pasta boils.

Ingredient notes

Onions. Plain yellow onions are best. Three large ones look like a lot, but they cook down to about a cup.

Broth and vinegar instead of wine. Wine adds acidity and depth. Halal beef broth gives the savory depth, and 2 tsp apple cider vinegar adds the brightness.

Cheese. Gruyère melts smoothly and tastes like the soup topping. Parmesan adds saltiness.

Pasta. Rigatoni or another tube shape catches the onions.

Step by step

Start the onions. Hot pan, butter and oil, then stir often.

Deglaze with water. Every time the pan gets brown and sticky, a splash of water lifts that flavor back into the onions.

Add broth and vinegar. This becomes the sauce.

Toss with pasta and cheese. Off the heat so the cheese melts smoothly.

Variations

• With beef: Add 8 oz thinly sliced halal steak or ground beef browned before the onions.
• With chicken: Toss in shredded cooked chicken with the pasta.
• Mushroom: Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms with the onions.
• Broiled top: Transfer to an oven-safe dish, top with extra Gruyère and broil 2 minutes.

Common mistakes

Thick onion slices. The speed comes from very thin slices, about 1/8 inch. Thicker slices need twice as long to go jammy. A mandoline or a sharp knife with the onion halved pole to pole helps.

Stirring constantly. Onions brown where they touch the pan. Spread them out, leave them for a minute at a time, then scrape and stir. Add a tablespoon of water if the browned bits on the bottom start to look too dark.

Using too much baking soda. One-eighth of a teaspoon speeds browning. More than that makes the onions mushy and gives a soapy taste.

Adding the cheese over high heat. Take the pan off the heat before the Gruyère goes in, and stir it in in two handfuls. Over high heat the cheese turns stringy and oily.

Substitutions and halal swaps

• Wine replacement: the cider vinegar does the job here. White wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon also work. Do not use cooking wine or sherry, which contain alcohol.
• Broth: check that the beef broth is halal. Mushroom broth gives a similar savory depth for a vegetarian version, and a teaspoon of soy sauce helps add depth.
• Cheese: many Gruyères are made with animal rennet. Look for halal-certified or microbial-rennet Swiss-style cheese, or use Emmental, Jarlsberg or a sharp white cheddar.
• Pasta: rigatoni, paccheri, penne or shells all hold the onions well. Long pasta works too, but it is harder to toss evenly.
• Crunch: toast a handful of panko in butter for a “crouton” topping that tastes like the top of French onion soup.

Make it ahead

Caramelized onions keep for 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. With onions ready, this becomes a 12-minute dinner: warm them in the pan, add the broth, then the pasta and cheese.

What to serve with it

A crisp green salad with a sharp mustard dressing balances the richness. For more creamy pasta dinners, try the viral Boursin pasta, the creamy pumpkin pasta or the creamy tomato pasta. Browse all our quick pasta recipes.

Storing leftovers

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.