Creamy Caramelized Onion Pasta

This pasta is pure comfort food. Imagine long ribbons of pasta coated with the silkiest cashew sauce and swirled with golden-brown caramelized onions. It’s savory, slightly sweet, and so satisfying that every bite feels like a warm hug. It’s the kind of dish Vân and I save for cozy dinner nights, when we want something extra special to look forward to.

Garnish it with a a handful of fresh basil, a sprinkle of ground black pepper, and you have a restaurant-worthy meal at home for a quarter of the price!

Oh, and the best part? You won’t have to go hunting for the onions as there’s a whole one packed into every serving!

✨ Reasons to Make It Tonight

Toasty and savory flavors.

The secret to getting deep and bold flavors lies in how far the onions are caramelized. You want them to be brown, not just light golden brown.

Thanks to the Maillard reaction, a magical process that happens when food is cooked over medium to high heat, the onions develop complex flavors with toasty caramel notes. The longer you let them cook (without burning, of course), the more intense and flavorful they become!

Rich, creamy, restaurant-quality.

What really takes this pasta to the next level is the addition of homemade cashew cream that brings a subtle tang and plenty of creaminess. Sure, it’s a bit rich, but that’s exactly what makes it special, like something you would order at a trendy restaurant.

Minimal ingredients.

You won’t need any hard-to-find ingredients to make this dish, just 10 pantry staples! Plus, the whole process is very beginner-friendly.

Start by sautéing the onions and let them slowly caramelize over medium heat. While that’s happening, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare the cashew cream and cook the pasta. Once everything is ready, simply toss it all together, and dinner is ready to serve!

🧅 What You’ll Need

Onions

The star of this recipe! You’ll need two medium onions to make one batch of this recipe.

No onions? You can replace them with six small shallots.

Pasta

I use fettuccine pasta, but any pasta will work. Linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle, or even short pasta, such as macaroni or fusilli, are good options.

Vegan cashew cream

The one ingredient that turns dry pasta into the creamiest meal! Although plant-based cream is now easy to find in most supermarkets, it tends to have a long list of ingredients, and I personally prefer making my own.

To make vegan cashew cream, you’ll need just a handful of ingredients: raw cashews, water, nutritional yeast, vinegar, and salt. That’s it! After soaking the cashews overnight, just blend everything together until smooth, and you’ll have a rich, ultra-creamy cashew cream in no time!

Substitute: For a nut-free option, you can use your favorite store-bought plant-based cream, like oat or soy cream. I do not recommend using coconut cream for this recipe as its flavor would be overpowering.

Butter and oil

To sauté the onions, you will need both oil and vegan butter. The butter adds flavor while the oil prevents it from burning. I prefer using olive oil for a subtle fruity flavor, but any vegetable oil will do just fine.

Sugar and salt

To season and to help with the caramelization of the onions. Regarding the sugar, you can replace it with maple syrup or agave nectar for a refined sugar-free option.

🥣 Cooking Instructions

1. Slice the onions. Start by peeling the onions. Next, slice them into 1/8-inch thick (3 mm) slices.

2. Sauté. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, until they begin to turn a light golden brown.

3. Season. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the sugar, and sauté for another 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have a deep golden brown color (see photo below).
4. Deglaze. Once the onions are done, deglaze the skillet with 2 tablespoons of water to release any small particles that may be stuck to the skillet. This will help extract even more flavor! Remove the skillet from the heat, keeping the onions inside, and set aside.

Quick tip: Save a few tablespoons of the caramelized onions to add on top of the pasta as a final garnish!

Don’t burn the onions!

Keep a close eye on the onions during cooking, as they can burn very fast. If they start browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly. Slow and steady is key here.

Also, resist the urge to stir too often – every 3-5 minutes is fine. Let the onions stick a bit to the pan to develop a beautiful caramelization.

5. Make the cashew cream. Drain the soaked cashews and transfer to a blender. Add the water, vinegar, salt, and nutritional yeast. Blend on high speed for 20-30 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.

6. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the caramelized onions.

7. Combine. Pour in the cashew cream and toss to coat using a pair of tongs or two spatulas. Place the skillet back on the heat and cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. If the sauce appears too thick, dilute it with some water.
8. Serve. Taste and adjust the saltiness if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil, and a sprinkle of black pepper.

🌶 Variations

Here are some ideas on how you can customize this dish:

• Vegetables: After caramelizing the onions, feel free to add sliced mushrooms, broccolini, green beans, or kale! Cook for a few more minutes before adding the pasta and cream.
• Cheese: Make it cheesy by topping this pasta with your favorite grated vegan cheese, crumbled vegan blue cheese, or camembert! Cheese and caramelized onions always pair well together, just like in my French onion soup.
• Chili sauce: Make it spicy by adding 1-2 tablespoons of chili sauce to the cashew cream.
• Herbs: How about adding a generous sprinkle of dried herbs like oregano or thyme?!

Looking for a lighter option? This recipe yields about 2 generous servings, and because it’s loaded with cream, it is a bit on the richer side. I believe it’s totally fine once in a while, but if you’re aiming for something lighter, try replacing the cashew cream with about 1 cup of your favorite low-fat plant-based cream.

Alternatively, you can also simply reduce the amount of raw cashews from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup. It won’t be as creamy, but it will still be delicious!

🍲 What to Serve Alongside

Although it tastes delicious on its own, you can serve this pasta with a side dish to stretch it to 3 or 4 servings:

• Salad: With either a simple green salad or with vegan chicken cucumber salad, kale and carrot salad, or shaved Brussels sprout salad.
• Roasted or sautéed vegetables: Think green beans, sautéed broccoli, zucchini, or spinach. Roasted vegetables work wonderfully too! Try pairing it with this crispy tofu and veggie sheet pan or this tray of roasted winter vegetables.
• Bread: Make it heartier by serving it with garlic bread, or even top the pasta with croutons for some crunch!
• Your protein of choice: Boost the protein by pairing it with vegan marry me chicken, vegan meatballs, falafel, or a slice of meatloaf!

💬 FAQ

This caramelized onion pasta is perfect for a chilly evening. It has that stick-to-your-ribs factor. Plus, it’s easy to make and packed with umami!

🍝 More Delicious Pasta Recipes

Mushroom Pasta with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce

Easy Vegan Pasta Stir-Fry

Vegan Hamburger Helper

Cheesy Tikka Masala Pasta Bake

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in October 2021 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in July 2025. You can see the older photos below.