# Components:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz ditalini pasta
→ Onions
02 - 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp sugar
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Sauce
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 1 cup vegetable broth (or beef broth for non-vegetarian)
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Cheese Topping
14 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
15 - 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
16 - Chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook ditalini pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set pasta aside.
02 - In a large skillet, heat unsalted butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions turn deep golden brown and caramelized, about 25–30 minutes, adjusting heat to prevent burning.
03 - Stir minced garlic into caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the onions, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Add heavy cream, fresh thyme, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until the sauce is creamy.
07 - Fold cooked ditalini and reserved pasta water into the sauce, adding water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
08 - Remove from heat and gently mix in half of the Gruyère cheese along with all the Parmesan until fully melted and creamy. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
09 - Plate the pasta, topping with remaining Gruyère and garnish with chopped chives or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
