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Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta

Vegan caramelized onion pasta with a golden-amber, slow-cooked onion sauce that turns silky and creamy when tossed with rigatoni. Finished with nutritional yeast “parmesan” and fresh thyme for a savory, Italian-American-style dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb rigatoni or spaghetti
  • 1 cup pasta cooking water reserve 1 cup for tossing
Caramelized onion sauce
  • 4 onions thinly sliced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Finish & seasoning
  • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast plus extra for serving
  • 1 fresh parsley for topping
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Caramelize the onions
  1. Heat olive oil and vegan butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, then add the thinly sliced onions. Cook 35-40 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until deeply caramelized and golden.
  2. Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant and lightly softened. Keep the heat at medium-low to avoid browning the garlic.
  3. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 2 minutes, until the wine reduces slightly.
  4. Add the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes, then stir to coat the onions evenly. Cook 2 minutes so the sauce tastes balanced and cohesive.
Cook pasta and toss
  1. Cook the rigatoni or spaghetti according to package directions, then reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining. Set aside the drained pasta.
  2. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the caramelized onion sauce and toss with nutritional yeast and pasta cooking water. Keep tossing 1-2 minutes, until creamy and glossy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with fresh parsley and extra nutritional yeast. Serve immediately while the sauce clings to the pasta.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the onions at medium-low and stir every few minutes—slow caramelization is what creates the deep golden sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; rewarm with a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the onion sauce can break when thawed. For a gluten-free option, swap rigatoni for a gluten-free pasta and cook it until just tender, then toss the same way.