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Introducing caramelized onion pasta! When onions are caramelized to perfection and combined with rich and creamy fermented cashew cream, delicious things happen!
This pasta dish requires just 6 ingredients and 30 minutes. It’s packed with umami and insanely creamy. And yes, it is perfect for Fall! Comforting, flavorful, carb-y, and filling!
🧅 HOW TO MAKE CARAMELIZED ONIONS
The secret to getting a deep and bold flavor lies in how far the onions are caramelized. You want them to be brown, not just golden brown.
First, melt oil + vegan butter in a skillet. Butter adds flavor, and the oil prevents it from burning.
Once melted, add thinly sliced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Next, add salt and a teaspoon of sugar to help with the caramelization. Sauté for another 6-8 minutes or until your onions turn brown.
Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn but do not stir too often to allow a nice caramelization.
Finally, deglaze the skillet with a couple of tablespoons of water to release the small particles stuck on the skillet; this will help extract even more flavor!
Add cooked pasta to the skillet and pour in the cashew cream. We went with our Homemade Fermented Cashew Cream for this recipe, but feel free to use store-bought plant-based cream if you want to save time.
If making your own cashew cream, make sure you prepare the liquid version (there is a spreadable and a liquid version in the recipe). Otherwise, dilute the cashew cream with some water until you get a pourable consistency.
💬 FAQ
Definitely! You can replace the onions with 6 small shallots.
You can use your favorite store-bought plant-based creams, like oat or soy cream. We do not recommend using coconut cream for this recipe. The flavor would be overpowering.
Linguine, spaghetti, or tagliatelle are great for this recipe, but almost any pasta will work!
Yes, reheat gently in a skillet over small-medium heat. You may have to add a couple of tablespoons of water if the cream has thickened too much.
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 flavor!
Looking for more pasta recipes? Check out this Cheesy Tikka Masala Pasta Bake, Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Caramelized Mushrooms, or this Mushroom Pasta with Peppercorn Sauce!
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Creamy Caramelized Onion Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 large onions thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup vegan cashew cream* add 1/4 tsp of salt if your cream is not salted
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 4.5 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions and add a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, until it starts to get a golden brown color.
- Add the 1/4 tsp of salt and the sugar, and sauté for another 6-8 minutes, or until onions turn brown. Keep an eye on it and stir regularly, you don't want to burn the onions, but they should be caramelized. Once the onions are done, deglaze the skillet with 2 tablespoons of water, and remove from heat. Set aside.
- 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.
- Pour in the fermented cashew cream, nutritional yeast, and stir to coat. Cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently to coat the pasta with the sauce and the caramelized onions. If the sauce appears too thick, dilute it with some water. Taste and adjust the saltiness to taste.
- Serve hot, topped with fresh cilantro or parsley, and ground black pepper! This pasta is best served immediately but will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- *For this recipe, use the liquid version of the cashew cream from our Fermented Cashew Cream recipe.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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