# 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
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
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 - Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook ditalini pasta until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions, sugar, and salt. Stir often and cook for 25–30 minutes until deeply caramelized and golden brown, adjusting heat as necessary to avoid burning.
03 - Stir minced garlic into the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle flour over onions, stir, and cook for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth while scraping browned bits from the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in heavy cream, thyme, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Let simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until creamy.
07 - Fold cooked pasta into the sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to adjust sauce consistency.
08 - Remove from heat and gently fold in half of the Gruyère and all Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
09 - Serve immediately, topped with remaining Gruyère and optional chopped herbs.
