Caramelised Onion and Brown Butter Pasta
Caramelised Onion and Brown Butter Pasta
Ingredients
For the Caramelised Onion and Brown Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, large, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, packed in oil
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, plus more, to taste
For the Pasta
- 1 pound short pasta, such as mafaldine or campanelle
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
For Finishing
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter solids turn a golden brown and emit a nutty aroma. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to burn the butter.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Add the thinly sliced yellow onions to the brown butter mixture. Reduce the heat to low-medium and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are deeply caramelized, very soft, and sweet. This step is crucial for flavor development.
⏱️ 35 min
- 3
Once the onions are caramelized, add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Pour the heavy cream into the onion and tomato mixture. Stir well and let it simmer gently over low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
While the sauce is simmering, cook the short pasta according to package instructions in a separate large pot of generously salted boiling water (using 1 tablespoon kosher salt). Cook until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water. Drain the remaining pasta.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce in the skillet, stirring to combine. This helps to create a glossy, emulsified sauce. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Stir in the fresh chopped parsley and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Add the drained, cooked pasta directly into the sauce. Toss thoroughly to ensure every piece of pasta is coated evenly with the rich sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Serve immediately, garnished with an extra sprinkle of fresh parsley and a grind of black pepper if desired. Enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Caramelised Onion and Brown Butter Pasta
Ingredients
For the Caramelised Onion and Brown Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, large, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, packed in oil
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, plus more, to taste
For the Pasta
- 1 pound short pasta, such as mafaldine or campanelle
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
For Finishing
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter solids turn a golden brown and emit a nutty aroma. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to burn the butter.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Add the thinly sliced yellow onions to the brown butter mixture. Reduce the heat to low-medium and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are deeply caramelized, very soft, and sweet. This step is crucial for flavor development.
⏱️ 35 min - 3
Once the onions are caramelized, add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Pour the heavy cream into the onion and tomato mixture. Stir well and let it simmer gently over low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
While the sauce is simmering, cook the short pasta according to package instructions in a separate large pot of generously salted boiling water (using 1 tablespoon kosher salt). Cook until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water. Drain the remaining pasta.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce in the skillet, stirring to combine. This helps to create a glossy, emulsified sauce. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the sauce is too thick.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Stir in the fresh chopped parsley and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Add the drained, cooked pasta directly into the sauce. Toss thoroughly to ensure every piece of pasta is coated evenly with the rich sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Serve immediately, garnished with an extra sprinkle of fresh parsley and a grind of black pepper if desired. Enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min