I’m really excited to share this recipe with you all today, because it was one of my more popular posts on instagram. The idea to make a simple pasta dish was inspired by the fact that I’ve been incorporating more carbs into my diet, thanks to directions from my GI doctor. While I’ve seriously been missing raw vegetables and salads, it’s been a nice change to just eat a big bowl of pasta guilt-free. Which kind of makes me wonder… why should anyone feel “guilty” about eating a bowl of pasta in the first place?
This is something that’s been a constant criticism about those in the wellness business. Some wellness personalities (some – not all) have kind of lent a certain morality to foods, implying that some are upstanding, good; and others are bad, dirty, or impure. (This isn’t counting the ethical reasons behind veganism). And to be fair, there is some truth to that – a bag of preservative and artificial-coloring laden chips is definitely not the same thing as a bowl of freshly made rice and steamed vegetables. But should anyone feel guilty about eating those chips if that’s what they really want to eat? No!
I know I’ve certainly made myself feel bad for eating things like chips or junk food in the past. And it’s true – those things are not the most nutritiously meritorious foods ever. They’re just not. But should I GUILT myself for indulging in junk food, if it’s just something my body is really calling me to eat? No. Food shouldn’t be a gauge of my – or anyone else’s – worth as a person. I’m not a bad person if I have a bag of chips. I’m not a worse person than someone who eats “clean” all the time. And on the same token, that person who eats “clean” isn’t a worse person because they eat that way. Food choices are personal, because we’re all different. So how can we compare each other based on what we eat? It just doesn’t make any sense to do so. Let people make their own choices.
So here’s a delicious pasta recipe, that you should enjoy GUILT-FREE. It’s super simple – with only a handful of ingredients, but the depth of flavor is incredible, thanks to the caramelized onions. Before making, I would highly recommend reading this guide by The Kitchn about how to caramelize onions – it’s a fantastic resource. I hope you all enjoy this pasta!
Caramelized Onion Pasta
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Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
1 hour
Total time
1 hour 10 mins
This caramelized onion pasta has only a handful of ingredients, but has an intense depth of flavor from the sweet and savory caramelized onions, and a pop of freshness from the lemon.
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
12 oz. Casarecce Pasta (or other pasta, like ziti or penne)
3 Medium Vidalia Onions
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sauté
Juice from 2 Lemons
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
Start by prepping the onions - cut the onions in half, then cut the halves into thin, C-shaped slices.
Bring a sauté pan to medium-low heat, and add the onions. Now comes the waiting - let the onions cook down for about an hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes or so. Be careful to not let the pan get too hot - the onions will burn. Just keep the pan on medium low heat, and let them cook down slowly. It's time consuming, but well worth the wait. For a more comprehensive guide on caramelizing the onion, please see this article from The Kitchn.
While onions are cooking down, cook the pasta according to package directions. I used casarecce but you can use any sort of tubular pasta, like ziti or penne. Rotini or fusilli would probably work too. When pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside in the pot you used to cook it in.
When onions are done cooking, they should be a gorgeous brown color and will smell amazing. Scrape the onions into the pot full of pasta, and mix well. Add in juice from two lemons, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy!
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