One Pan French Onion Orzo

5 from 5 votes

The rich, savory flavors of classic French Onion Soup in a creamy, risotto-like pasta dish. Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère cheese, and a flavorful broth come together in just one pan for an easy, comforting meal that’s packed with depth and warmth. Perfect for a cozy dinner with minimal cleanup!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: One Pot, Orzo, Pasta

Servings:

Author: Carolyn Stilwell

Equipment

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions

1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Yellow Onion thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt more to taste

Other Orzo Ingredients

3 cloves Garlic minced
1 cup Orzo Pasta uncooked
1/4 cup Dry White Wine dry such as Sauvignon Blanc
1/8 cup Sherry
2 cups Beef Stock I used unsalted; additional as needed
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Beef Base optional - I used unsalted beef stock and added for extra flavor
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper more to taste and serve
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme or about 1/4 tsp dried thyme; more to serve
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup Half and Half optional; can also use heavy cream
4 oz Gruyère Cheese freshly grated; additional to serve

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Caramelized Onions

Melt butter and olive oil in a large high-rimmed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and a generous pinch of Kosher salt. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium low. Cook for 30-60 minutes or as long as it takes for the onions to caramelize. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add a couple splashes of water as needed if the pan starts to burn.

Orzo Instructions

Once the onions are caramelized, add the minced garlic and uncooked orzo to the same pan. Stir to combine and toast for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the white wine and sherry to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any stuck bits with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 2 minutes until the liquid absorbs.
Pour in the beef stock, optional better than bouillon beef base, black pepper, thyme leaves, and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Stir often so the orzo doesn't stick. Add more beef stock as needed if the liquid is absorbing too quickly. I ended up adding about 1/2 cup-1 cup extra stock. It will take around 15 minutes for the orzo to cook.
Once the orzo is cooked, turn the heat to low. Add the optional half and half then add the freshly grated gruyere cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and everything is well combined.
Serve immediately with additional black pepper, thyme leaves, and gruyere cheese as desired.

Video

Notes

Inspired by my viral One Pot French Onion Pasta! Make sure to check out that recipe as well if you enjoyed this one.

Nutrition