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Caramelized Onion Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs

2 substantial pasta bowls · Active 20 min · Total 55 min

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An onion can do more than provide the first quiet layer of a sauce. Here, two large onions become the sauce itself, softening into bronze ribbons that cling to spaghetti. Toasted bread crumbs supply the crisp finish usually supplied by a more expensive topping. The ingredients are ordinary, but the onions need real time. Put this on the menu for an evening when a pan can cook gently while you do the rest of the kitchen work.

Jump to ingredients

Spaghetti with caramelized onions, toasted bread crumbs and parsley.

Bronze, not burnt

Slice the onions evenly from root to stem. Begin over medium heat, then lower it once they soften. Stir often enough to prevent a dark patch sticking in one place, but allow contact with the pan between turns. If the bottom catches before the onions are soft, add a tablespoon of water and scrape gently. A bitter black edge cannot be stirred into sweetness.

Make the crumbs a separate job

Coarse crumbs from a dry bread heel give a more varied texture than powder-fine crumbs. Toast them in a small skillet and immediately tip them onto a plate. Keeping them separate until serving matters: stirred into the onion sauce, they absorb its moisture and lose their purpose.

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced (400 g prepared)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (30 ml), divided: 1 tablespoon for onions and 1 for crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (6 g)
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (15 ml)
  • 6 oz dry spaghetti (170 g)
  • 1/2 cup coarse dry bread crumbs (40 g)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (8 g)
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water (120 ml)

Set out

Large heavy skillet, Small skillet, Large saucepan, Tongs

Allergens

Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and half the salt. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring, then reduce to medium-low. Cook another 25–30 minutes until soft and deep golden, adding a tablespoon of water only if the pan catches.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in the small skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in bread crumbs for 3–4 minutes until golden; transfer to a plate.
  3. When onions are nearly ready, boil spaghetti in a saucepan of water according to the package. Reserve 1/2 cup/120 ml cooking water before draining.
  4. Stir garlic into onions for 1 minute. Add vinegar, remaining salt, black pepper and all the reserved pasta water. Toss in spaghetti over low heat for 1–2 minutes until coated.
  5. Divide between two bowls and scatter half the toasted crumbs and parsley over each. Serve promptly.

Use the whole bread heel

A firm bread end that is awkward for a sandwich is useful here. Tear or grate it into coarse crumbs and freeze any extra in a labeled bag for another cooked topping. Do not use moldy bread; trimming a visible spot does not make the remainder suitable.

A useful detail

Onion color develops gradually. The total allows a full 40-minute onion stage; do not turn the heat high to imitate the result in ten minutes.

Another way

  • Use 170 g linguine instead of spaghetti.
  • Use chopped dry bread crusts for the crumbs; keep the 40 g weight and toast until crisp.

Keep it well

Refrigerate leftover pasta in shallow containers at 40°F/4°C or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water to 165°F/74°C. Keep toasted crumbs separately dry and add after reheating.