I Tried the Viral One-Pan French Onion Soup Noodles and I Don’t Know How I Waited So Long
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The idea of using French onion soup flavors with pasta isn’t totally new. Most recipes you come across call for either heavy cream or cream cheese, but this one skips both ingredients and instead uses an Italian technique known as “risotarre”. The noodles cook like a risotto, taking on a thick, creamy (no-cream) texture reminiscent of the iconic soup. My arm didn’t need to be twisted too hard to try out this fantastic fusion of foods — I couldn’t wait to get started.
How to Make One-Pan French Onion Soup Noodles
Start by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add your diced onions, white wine, and kosher salt, then raise the heat to high and cook until the wine evaporates. Once evaporated, lower the heat to medium-low, and add herbes de Provence and black pepper. Cook for 30 minutes, making sure to stir every now and then. Add garlic and continue to cook for another 30 minutes at the same medium-low temperature.
After one hour the onions should be caramelized. (If you have the gift of time, the onions can take on another hour or two, but it’s not necessary.)
When ready, add the spaghetti to the skillet and then the hot beef broth. Raise the temperature to medium-high and let simmer. Once the broth is almost entirely evaporated, add some hot water. Mix, let simmer, then add more water as needed. The pasta should be cooked al dente, which takes 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add cubed Swiss or Gruyère, mixing well so that it melts in evenly. Finish with a little butter and parsley, and serve hot.
My Honest Opinion of One-Pan French Onion Soup Noodles
As a huge fan of French onion soup, I went into this recipe with a heavy bias. Putting what I already love into noodle form was the discovery I needed in my cooking journey. I recommend making this recipe for the smell alone: as soon as I started cooking the onions in white wine, my apartment filled with goodness. Once I added herbes de Provence and garlic into the mix, my roommates even came out of their rooms to see what was up in the kitchen. This recipe smells so delicious in the beginning stages that you’ll likely be fighting the urge to sneak spoonfuls of caramelized onions.
Yes, the caramelizing steps seems like it takes forever, but the hour is worth the wait, and doesn’t require much attention; prep the remaining ingredients or finish the latest episode of ‘The Bear’ season two.
