Caramelized Onion Cream Pasta (Print Version)

Silky pasta in rich cream sauce with golden caramelized onions

# What You 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 - ½ tsp salt

→ Cream Sauce

07 - ¾ cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
08 - ¼ cup whole milk
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper
12 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
13 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine or spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy cooking water before draining through a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and sprinkle evenly with sugar and salt to draw out moisture.
03 - Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 25 to 30 minutes until they turn a rich golden brown and become deeply caramelized. If the onions begin to stick to the pan, add a small splash of water to deglaze and continue cooking.
04 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
05 - Reduce the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring gently to combine. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt to taste.
06 - Transfer the drained pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss thoroughly, adding small splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed until you achieve a silky, creamy sauce that clings evenly to every strand.
07 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and an extra shower of grated Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The onions cook down so deeply they taste like they took all day, even though you barely have to watch them.
  • It turns five humble ingredients into something that feels wildly indulgent for a weeknight.
  • The cream sauce clings to every strand of pasta in a way that makes silence fall over the table.
02 -
  • Rushing the onions is the single biggest mistake you can make here because undercooked onions will taste sharp and raw against all that cream.
  • Adding the garlic too early is a trap since it burns quickly once the onions have released all their sugars.
03 -
  • Slice the onions from pole to pole rather than across the equator because the slices hold their shape better during long cooking.
  • If the sauce seems too thick when you add the pasta, loosen it with pasta water one tablespoon at a time rather than flooding it all at once.

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