Caramelized Onion Pasta Chili Oil (Print Version)

Sweet and spicy pasta featuring deeply caramelized onions and fragrant chili oil, finished with fresh herbs and Parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz pasta (spaghetti, penne, or linguine)
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Caramelized Onions

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Chili Oil

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
11 - 1 teaspoon soy sauce

→ Garnishing

12 - Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
13 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
14 - Extra chili flakes (optional)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden and caramelized. Add the minced garlic in the final 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Season with black pepper and adjust salt to taste. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - In a small saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add chili flakes and smoked paprika, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes until aromatic. Stir in soy sauce and let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta thoroughly.
04 - Toss the hot pasta with the caramelized onions in the skillet. Drizzle with the chili oil and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen the sauce and achieve desired consistency.
05 - Top with generous Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh herbs, and extra chili flakes if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Those caramelized onions taste like pure comfort, sweet and savory at once, making even simple pasta feel like restaurant-quality food.
  • The chili oil is where the magic happens—homemade means you control the heat and it smells incredible simmering on your stove.
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, which is exactly the kind of sneaky win we all need.
02 -
  • The onions need patience and low-medium heat—rushing them on high heat will just brown the outside while the inside stays raw and sharp.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain because it's the secret to making this sauce cling to the pasta instead of sitting in a pool at the bottom of your bowl.
  • Taste the chili oil before committing all of it to the pasta; some batches of chili flakes are significantly hotter than others, and it's easier to add more heat than to take it away.
03 -
  • Keep the heat under medium when caramelizing onions so they brown evenly instead of burning on the bottom while the top stays pale.
  • If you're vegan or dairy-free, a good quality nutritional yeast or cashew-based Parmesan alternative actually makes this dish feel complete without compromising anything.
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