One-Pot French Onion Rigatoni
Updated January 29, 2026
- Ready In
- 1 hr 15 min
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large yellow onions (see Tip), thinly sliced
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup dry white wine
5 to 6 cups broth (beef recommended for deeper flavor, chicken for a lighter profile; vegetable broth also works)
1 pound mezzi rigatoni or regular rigatoni
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (about 5 ounces)
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces), plus more for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
64 grams carbs; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 559 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 948 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Caramelize the onions: In a large Dutch oven or wide, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-low. Add the onions and cook, stirring every few minutes, until deeply browned, soft and jammy, about 45 minutes.
- Step 2
Once the onions are caramelized, add ¾ teaspoon salt, several grinds of black pepper, the garlic, thyme and Worcestershire sauce and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Step 3
Deglaze the pot: Pour in the white wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until mostly reduced, about 30 seconds.
- Step 4
Cook the pasta: Add the rigatoni to the pot, then pour in enough broth to just cover the pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, until the pasta is just tender and the liquid has thickened into a sauce, 15 to 18 minutes depending on the brand and thickness of the pasta. If the liquid reduces too quickly (before the pasta is tender), add more broth, if you didn’t use it all, a splash at a time.
- Step 5
Finish the pasta: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the Gruyère a small handful at a time, stirring until fully melted and smooth before adding more. Once the Gruyère is fully incorporated, stir in the Parmesan until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Step 6
Let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to tighten. Serve warm, with extra Parmesan if desired.
Yellow onions are ideal here — they caramelize evenly and develop deep sweetness without becoming cloying.
Private Notes
Comments
This looks great and I’m definitely going to make it. But for a kitchen klutz like me, the 5-minute prep time is comically optimistic. I might be able to slice one of the onions in that time, if things go well. Seriously though, how are prep times arrived at? I’ve never come remotely close to preparing a dish in the time listed.
For one thing, if the ingredient is listed as "onions, thinly sliced," then the slicing is NOT included in the prep time (same with the shredded cheese). Prep time assumes you have all the ingredients to hand as listed in the ingredients list.
This is good! But it lacks color. All that beige! I added a handful of escarole to wilt, but any green would do to oomph it up a bit, and then finished with some chopped parsley. You could also probably add some bits of chopped sweet red pepper. Or you could just serve it in a bowl a color other than white.
I recently saw someone’s comments on another recipe, who said they caramelize onions in a crock pot. An idea I had to try. I cut up a big batch of onions, left the lid slightly ajar, so that the onions dont poach,and let them cook on low, all day, while I shoveled out from yet another snowstorm. We quickly had onion soup, that night. Effortless.
This turned out very well, one slight adjustment I'll try next time is to half cook the rigatoni in separate water before adding to pot to reduce starchy taste....
Easy enough but too sweet and kind of one-note. Needs some acid or peas or heat or SOMETHING. There’s a reason French Onion Soup isn’t generally thought of as a meal and adding pasta to it didn’t make it one.