Meet French Onion Pasta, the TikTok Food Hybrid We Actually Want to Eat

Dipping into French Onion soup is a universal pleasure: the salty broth, sweet caramelized onions and crunchy bread that’s bathing in all that flavor. So it’s no surprise the Parisian staple has made the rounds on TikTok. But, like any good internet recipe, it’s undergone a clever rebrand, like our friends carrot bacon and ranch pickles. Users are whipping up French onion pasta, a dish that brings all the decadent flavors of the stew into a bowl of penne. The best part (for you and your dishwasher): It comes together in one big pot. 

The original recipe, dreamed up by @CaroleBeeCooks, has attracted millions of hungry viewers. To make it, you’ll have to caramelize onions, a process that can take up to 45 minutes, but is well worth it flavor-wise, says Carolyn. After surging in popularity, the blogger’s pasta dish became the first stop on TikTok’s French onion food tour. Bellow, learn more about the famous pasta, plus some imaginative food combinations that followed. 

Recreating this recipe is relatively simple. After taking the time to let the onions caramelize in a large pot, you pour in uncooked rigatoni, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Once the pasta is cooked, stir in some Parm and half and half to bring it all together. Check out @CaroleBeeCook's full detailed recipe here.

To bring this savory tarte tatin together, recipe creator @LaCuisinedeGéraldine opts for short-crust pastry, since it fares better than puff pastry in the oven. If you choose to make your own dough, she recommends kneading thyme into the mixture. (Looks like we have our weekend plans figured out.)

Smashed potatoes have earned their spot in our weeknight dinner rotation. But our basic salt and pepper-seasoned spuds are getting an upgrade. Here, food blogger @CarinaWolff tops them with caramelized onions, handfuls of nutty gruyere and fresh chives.

Comfort foods join forces in this addictive snack from Youtuber @HalleBurns. Thickly slice onions and coat with French onion mix and breadcrumbs before baking to crunchy perfection. Then dip in vegan au jus (or veggie broth) for the full French onion effect. 

Our first question when scrolling onto French onion ramen was how we didn’t think of it before. Brought to us by Chef Matt Sully (@ChefSully_), a Top Chef season six alum, the simmering broth is made up of caramelized onions, a ramen packet, dark soy and sriracha. This heavenly elixir is then poured over dry noodles and after five (agonizing) minutes covered, is ready for slurping. 

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