Description
A creamy and cheesy pasta bake infused with the rich flavors of caramelized onions and aromatic herbs, perfect for comfort food enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10.5 oz short pasta (such as rigatoni or penne)
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease an 8 by 12-inch baking dish.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add onions, salt, and sugar, cooking for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden and caramelized.
- Add minced garlic and thyme to the caramelized onions, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in dry white wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze, and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in broth and Worcestershire sauce, then simmer for 5 minutes and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Reduce heat to low, stir in heavy cream, and remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, caramelized onion mixture, Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, mixing well.
- Pour pasta mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle remaining Gruyère cheese on top.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Let rest for 5 minutes and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Experiment with different types of cheese if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 60mg