Description
Turn pantry staples into gourmet magic with this Caramelized Onion Pasta with Chilli Oil—a wildly flavorful, easy dinner idea for spice lovers. Sweet golden onions melt into a buttery sauce, wrapped around perfectly cooked pasta and finished with a kick of homemade or store-bought chilli oil. It’s the perfect recipe when you want something both comforting and bold. Ideal for a cozy dinner, casual hosting, or a meatless Monday hit. Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner, meatless main, or bold food idea, this spicy-sweet pasta delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
3 large yellow onions
300 g spaghetti or linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tablespoons chilli oil (plus more for garnish)
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or chives (optional)
0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
0.5 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
1. Thinly slice the onions and cook in olive oil and butter over medium-low heat until deeply caramelized, about 30–40 minutes.
2. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water before draining.
3. Add minced garlic to the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chilli oil and red pepper flakes.
4. Toss cooked pasta with the onion mixture, adding reserved pasta water until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
5. Stir in a final knob of butter and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with herbs and extra chilli oil before serving.
Notes
For best caramelization, stir onions occasionally and resist turning up the heat.
Add extra chilli oil just before serving to control heat intensity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: spicy pasta, caramelized onion pasta, chilli oil noodles, quick dinner, pasta recipe