Creamy Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta with Parmesan and Chili Oil
By Emma Collins
Prep
10 min
Cook
40 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
This 50-minute pasta dish for four uses products you likely have on hand and little preparation time to prepare a skillet sauce. Caramelized onions and Parmesan cheese, combined with cream and chili oil, provide sweet and spicy flavors to this dish using a simple sauce.
Onions are the main ingredient. Other cooked ingredients used are olive oil, butter, sugar, water, and cooked onions for color and sweetness. Other ingredients that can be used in a vegan dish include oat cream and vegan Parmesan. Other options include heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Other spices and seasonings include smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper.
Onions should soften and caramelize to a thick, dark brown sauce in a longer cooking time. Stir occasionally and add water as needed to prevent browned bits from scorching. When cream and cheese are added, simmer the sauce and add pasta water to the sauce gradually as needed to ensure even coating of cooked pasta.
Serve with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese, if available. Good side dishes to serve with this meal include salad, roasted vegetables, and bread. For faster meal preparation when serving at a later time, make the caramelized onions ahead of time and cook the pasta and finish the sauce immediately before serving.
Why this recipe works
- Makes it easier to prepare meals during the week with ingredients such as pasta, onions, cream, cheese, seasonings, and oil that do not require specialty produce.
- Enables onions to contribute flavor and creates a sweet, savory base in a pan before adding cream.
- Offers a dairy alternative by listing oat cream and vegan Parmesan as nondairy alternatives to heavy cream and Parmesan.
- Meets a variety of heat requirements because chili oil contributes some heat, though the recipe writer says it is optional.
- Uses the same pot for pasta and a large skillet. Few kitchen utensils are needed, and most are likely to be on hand in most home kitchens.
- Helps adjust the sauce since reserved starchy water from cooking the noodles can be added gradually until the cream sauce coats each noodle.
Ingredients
- •8 ounces pasta of choice
- •3 large onions (3-4, thinly sliced)
- •3 tbsp olive oil
- •1 tbsp vegan butter or regular butter (optional)
- •1 tsp sugar (optional)
- •4 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1 cup water (plus more for deglazing if needed)
- •¾ cup oat cream or regular heavy cream
- •1 cup vegan Parmesan cheese or regular Parmesan cheese
- •2 tbsp chili oil
- •smoked paprika (to taste)
- •onion powder (to taste)
- •garlic powder (to taste)
- •dried oregano (to taste)
- •sweet paprika (to taste)
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
- •fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil and optional butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- 2
Add the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- 3
Cook the onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the garlic and optional sugar.
- 5
Add 1 cup water and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and caramelized.
- 6
Deglaze the skillet with water if needed.
- 7
While the onions cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- 8
Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions.
- 9
Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- 10
Add the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, sweet paprika, and chili oil to the caramelized onions.
- 11
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cream.
- 12
Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens, adjusting the consistency with pasta water if needed.
- 13
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the noodles evenly.
- 14
Adjust the seasoning as desired.
- 15
Garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired, then serve hot.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
660
Protein
22g
Fat
24g
Carbs
87g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
