TikTok Viral One Pot French Onion Pasta

Back in January 2022, I shared a sneak peek of this One Pot French Onion Pasta recipe on TikTok, and I’ve never had so many people ask for the recipe so quickly! This One Pot French Onion Pasta continues to be one of my most popular recipes and I love seeing so many of you try it and love it.

Be sure to check out my Updated One Pot French Onion pasta recipe too! It features extra onions, a deeper caramelization, beef bone broth, gruyère cheese, and a fresh parsley garnish for added flavor.

And if you’re looking for more viral pasta recipes then be sure to try my Viral TikTok Pasta with Boursin or Viral Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque Pasta!

Why You’ll Love This One Pot French Onion Pasta

• Cozy French Onion Soup Vibes: If you love French onion soup and pasta, this recipe is the best of both worlds. It’s cozy, comforting, and packed with deeply caramelized onions that add rich, sweet, savory flavor to every bite. Caramelizing onions does take a little time, but the flavor payoff is 100% worth it. The timing can vary based on how thinly you slice the onions, your pan, and your heat level, but it’s mostly hands-off and so rewarding. Make sure to check out my Caramelized Shallot Dip for more caramelized onion flavors.
• One Pot Pasta: I’m also a big fan of one pot recipes because they simplify dinner and mean fewer dishes. This one requires minimal prep: just a cutting board, a cheese grater, and a good knife.
• Customizable: This recipe is flexible, too! I first made it using ingredients I already had on hand. Try adding garlic, mushrooms, or a little Gruyère cheese to boost that classic French onion soup flavor even more. And don’t be afraid to use several onions because caramelized onions cook down significantly, so it’s hard to go overboard.

Recipe Ingredients

See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with exact quantities.

• Yellow Onion: feel free to add multiple onions. I have found they cook down to a reasonable amount no matter how many you add. I like using yellow onions the best for caramelizing, but other types of onions work as well if that’s what you have.
• Sherry: I love the flavor sherry adds to this dish. You could also substitute with more white wine, brandy, or dry vermouth.
• White Wine: I like using a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. You don’t need anything fancy, but I like using a wine that I would actually drink!
• Fresh Thyme: you can tie the thyme together with twine to make it easier to discard later
• Rigatoni: use uncooked pasta – super easy! The pasta will cook right in the pot. I have found rigatoni works best for this recipe because it holds its structure well without becoming mushy. You could use another short pasta shape if that’s what you have on hand.
• Beef Stock or Broth: I often use water and some Low-Sodium Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base. I use broth in many of my recipes and a jar still lasts for months. I have found it’s much more convenient to keep a jar of it on hand rather than buying cans or cartons of beef broth all of the time. You could also use an unsalted Beef Stock and add a little bit of the Better Than Bouillon paste into the liquid for some extra flavor.
• Half and Half: this is a mixture of cream and milk that you can buy in the grocery store. It’s a lighter alternative to heavy cream. Feel free to use heavy cream for a richer sauce!

How to Make Viral One Pot French Onion Pasta

See the recipe card below for the full list of instructions.

1. Cook onions in butter and add a generous pinch of salt to speed up the caramelization process. Cook until onions are very caramelized. Stir occasionally. This can take 20-45 minutes.

2. Pour in sherry and wine. Deglaze by scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Add sprigs of fresh thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Add uncooked rigatoni then pour in beef broth and Worcestershire Sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente.

4. Turn off heat. Discard thyme sprigs. Stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese and half and half until well combined. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.