Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta

Rich, silky pasta with deeply sweet caramelized onions

Serves: 4 | Time: 45 minutes

You’ll need
• 12 oz pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ cup unsweetened plant milk
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup reserved pasta water

Optional add-ins:
• ½ cup sautéed mushrooms
• 1 cup fresh spinach or kale
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Let’s Make It
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve about ¼ cup pasta water before draining.

While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 20–25 minutes until the onions become deeply golden, soft, and sweet.

Add garlic and thyme to the onions and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in plant milk, nutritional yeast, tamari, Dijon mustard, and reserved pasta water. Mix well to create a silky sauce.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until evenly coated. Allow everything to warm together for 1–2 minutes so the sauce clings to the pasta.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve It With
• Simple arugula salad with lemon
• Roasted broccoli or asparagus
• Crusty sourdough bread
• A sprinkle of toasted walnuts

Pro Tip
Caramelizing onions slowly is the secret to this dish. Low heat and patience allow their natural sugars to develop a deep, savory sweetness that becomes the base of the sauce.