Easy Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Spinach
By: Mama J from A Little Bit Crunchy, A Little Bit Rock and Roll
If you have the patience to allow onions to caramelize, this quick and easy recipe is affordable and absolutely delicious. This Easy Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Spinach has been a go-to meal that my whole family has loved for years.
Ingredients
- 3 large purple (red) onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (yellow onions will work too)
- 6 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound pasta
- salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat with the oil. Lower the heat and cover without stirring for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the onions.
- Continue cooking them over a medium low heat for about 30 minutes with the lid off, stirring occasionally. When the onions begin to brown, add a few tablespoons of water and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the onions are almost done, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.
- As the pasta cooks, add the thyme, a few cracks of fresh pepper and the spinach. Stir the spinach around until it begins to wilt.
- Drain the pasta and reserve a 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Use this to thin the onions a little to make a nice sauce.
- Return the pasta to the pot and drizzle with an extra tablespoon of olive oil then toss in the onion/spinach mixture. Thin with more pasta water as needed. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.