The viral French onion soup pasta recipe is going around the internet, so let’s make it low sodium for a healthier version! I’ll share with you my favorite products and tips for making healthier alternatives to our favorite recipes without lacking flavor.

First we will start with a ton of onions! I used this Dutch oven from Amazon so that I can put it right into the oven to broil our cheese at the end, but you certainly don’t have to do that part.

My helpful tip for caramelizing a big batch of onions like in a French onion soup is to add some water at first so soften them up without burning them before adding the oil and butter. I used these measuring cups from Amazon, as will the rest of the products listed in this French onion pasta recipe post.

I use these wooden utensils to keep my Dutch oven in great shape. I also use this portable induction burner. It’s my new favorite thing! Because it uses magnetic energy, it heats the pot not the burner. So it is much safer to use in my small studio space. You can certainly just use your regular stove top, if you have one. If you use an induction burner, though, you need to use stainless steel or cast iron or it won’t work, cuz magnets.

I use these pink measuring spoons because they’re super accurate and match my pink aesthetic. Also, they’re metal, so they hold up really well. For instance, I use them to measure my honey for my tea and just mix it right in with the spoon and not have to worry about it melting like those plastic ones.

Since we are doing a no salt added French onion soup pasta recipe, we need to incorporate extra flavor. I highly recommend this Mushroom extract powder by Ellie’s Best. It provides so much umami without having to add actual mushrooms, and which is perfect for someone like me who hates the texture of mushrooms.

This mushroom powder is also a great pick me up when adding to your morning coffee. The earthiness balances the coffee flavor perfectly.

I love to pre measure my ingredients while my onions are caramelizing. These white ramekins help to achieve that. This is what the French call mise en place, which means to put into place or gather. It helps to do that before you begin the full cooking process so you’re not running around the kitchen like wild.

I use mostly this unsalted beef stock for this French onion soup pasta.

And then a little extra unsalted chicken broth to balance it out. You can certainly use all unsalted beef broth, if you want. Even if you are adding salt to your French onion soup pasta, I think using unsalted is a better option anyways because you can determine how much salt you’re adding and you can ensure it’s a healthier high quality salt.

Regular penne pasta also works but I love this protein pasta because why not add extra protein while we’re at it, ya know? Barilla and Goodles have the best protein pasta in my opinion. Goodles may even be a little better but it’s more expensive for less pasta, which is why I chose the Barilla pasta.

A lot of the viral French onion pasta recipes have you adding heavy cream at the end, but I chose some cream cheese and plain non fat Greek yogurt for a more creamy and complex flavor profile. You can use sour cream in place of the plain non fat Greek yogurt, they taste mostly the same. I love this tiny silicone spatula that came in the set to get all the ingredients out of my measuring cups.

This part is optional, but it is SO WORTH IT! I used my rotary grater to add some shredded Swiss cheese on top of the French onion pasta and then put it in the oven to melt. You can certainly use Gruyère cheese, as that is the traditional French onion soup cheese, but it has about 180mg of sodium per ounce, versus 50mg for Swiss. Plus Swiss is usually cheaper and gives an awesome cheese pull.

I did top my French onion soup pasta with some dried chives, or you could even do some green onion too!

Be sure to watch my video for more French onion pasta recipe details.

Ingredients:

• 5 white onions, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp each mushroom powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and dried thyme
• 4 cups unsalted beef stock
• 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
• 14.5 oz penne pasta
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Add onions and water to a large Dutch oven and cook down until water is just about gone and onions have softened
2. Add oil and butter and begin caramelizing onions
3. Once caramelized, add minced garlic
4. De-glaze the pot with a cup of the beef stock to get the bits of onion off the bottom of the pan and then add the rest of the beef stock and chicken broth
5. Add seasonings and uncooked pasta, stir and then bring to a boil
6. Turn down heat and reduce to a simmer and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes
7. Turn off heat and add cream cheese and Greek yogurt, stir in and then sprinkle cheese on top
8. Put Dutch oven in a preheated oven and broil until cheese is melted
9. Enjoy!

I have already made this French onion soup pasta twice since recording this recipe. I now understand why it was going viral!

The last time I made it, I added ground turkey for even more protein and it changed the flavor profile a bit but it was so delicious!

If you’re a fan of one pot pasta meals for dinner, I also have a creamy pumpkin and squash one pot pasta recipe too you can try!

If you ever make any of my recipes, I’d love to see your pictures on my social media! Let’s connect!

Ok love you bye

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