French Onion Spaghetti
All the flavour of French onion soup, turned into a rich, silky bowl of pasta
Servings 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 yellow onions halved then sliced
- Salt & black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ cup cognac
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ lb spaghetti
- Garnish: freshly grated parmesan + fresh herbs (extra thyme, Italian parsley, or chives)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the olive oil and butter together. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with a generous pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
- Continue cooking, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deeply golden and caramelized, 30-35 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, add the thyme sprigs.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously, then cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Lower the heat under the onions and remove the pan from the burner. Carefully add the cognac, then return the pan to low heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits, until the alcohol cooks off.
- Stir in the sherry vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock. Increase heat to medium-low and let simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.
- Add the spaghetti directly to the sauce and toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Serve into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and fresh herbs.