Delicious Caramelised Onion Pasta
Pasta with slow roasted balsamic onions, juicy sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, all wrapped in a creamy sauce!
Servings: 4
Cost: £2 / $2.50
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Baking Dish (mine is 12x9" / 30x22cm)
- Tongs
- Aluminium Foil
- Large Pot & Colander (for boiling pasta)
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1lb / 500g White Onions, thinly sliced (approx 3 large)
- 1/4 cup / 60ml Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Salt, Black Pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 bulb of Garlic
- 12.3oz / 350g Shortcut Pasta (here I use Farfalle)
- 125g / 4.4oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, diced
- 1 small bunch of Fresh Basil, finely diced (1 small bunch is 30g/1oz)
- 150g / 5.3oz Mascarpone
- 30g / 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a large baking dish add the sliced onion, olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt and pepper. Give it all a really good toss until everything is evenly distributed. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes, or until the onions are very soft, sticky and sweet. Take them out a couple of times during to toss (this is important to release steam and prevent the ones on the outside from burning).
- Slice the tip of the garlic to expose the cloves then drizzle with oil. Wrap in foil then place in the oven for 1 hour, or until deep golden, sticky and soft. Check progress after 45-50 minutes.
- Towards the end of baking, add your pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
- When the baking dish is freshly hot out the oven, squeeze the garlic into the onions and mash it up, then mix in the sun dried tomatoes and mascarpone alongside a splash of the pasta water. Stir in the cooked pasta until combined then stir in the parmesan and basil, using more pasta water to thin out the sauce at any point if needed.
- Season generously with salt and pepper to bring out the best in this simple sauce (work to taste), then serve up with more parmesan if desired and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Caramelised Onion & Garlic - Low and slow is key to enhance the natural sweetness of the onion and garlic. Don't rush this process, otherwise they will both be too pungent. If you notice either starting to burn before they caramelise, just lower the heat slightly. The onions should end up very tender and a little sticky. The garlic should be buttery soft, golden and have a lovely nutty smell to it.
b) Timings - Timings may differ slightly so just be vigilant throughout. The garlic will almost certainly be ready before the onions. Another reminder to toss the onions 2-3 times during so they don't burn and you can allow some steam to escape. Make sure you work fairly quickly when you combine everything so the baking dish stays nice and hot.
c) Pasta Water - This is a key ingredient in creating a creamy, glossy sauce. Just make sure the pasta water is well-seasoned so you don't dilute the flavour of the sauce.
d) Seasoning - This is quite a subtle sauce, so be sure to season it well to bring out the best in it.
e) Serving/Protein - This dish is pretty hearty as it is, but some grilled/pan-fried chicken is a great addition. Whilst I haven't tried it myself, I imagine sausage would pair perfectly too.
f) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4.
g) Inspiration - Adapted from a recipe I spotted from Dr Vegan!
Nutrition
Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 100.56g | Protein: 17.15g | Fat: 29.21g | Saturated Fat: 10.169g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.102g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14.044g | Trans Fat: 0.072g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 1565mg | Fiber: 14.7g | Sugar: 20.02g | Vitamin A: 1200IU | Vitamin C: 20.2mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 4.82mg