This creamy caramelised onion and sausage pasta is a simple but deeply flavourful pasta dish made with golden slow-cooked onions, sausages, double cream and farfalle.
It takes longer than most of my usual pasta recipes, because the onions are properly caramelised – and this is one bit you really can’t skip or rush.
But the actual process is incredibly simple. The onions cook slowly in butter and olive oil until they turn sweet and golden. The sausages are cooked separately, the pasta is boiled, and then everything is brought together with double cream and a splash of water to make a glossy, savoury sauce.
It’s a perfect weekend dinner. Not because it’s complicated, but because it asks for a bit more time. Very little effort, lovely reward.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Caramelised Onion and Sausage Pasta
This pasta is all about getting big flavour from a short list of ingredients.
The caramelised onions bring sweetness and depth. The sausages add savoury richness. The cream turns everything into a silky sauce. The pasta catches it all beautifully, especially if you use a shape like farfalle with little folds and edges.
It’s very forgiving too – there’s no complicated timing here, no delicate sauce that might split and no need for fancy ingredients. As long as you cook the onions slowly and give them enough time, you can’t really go wrong.
The Key: Properly Caramelised Onions
The onions are the whole point of this recipe, so they need time. You’re not just softening them like in many recipes (including many of mine). You’re cooking them slowly until they turn golden and jammy. This takes 45 minutes to 1 hour over a low heat, with a stir every now and then.
It might feel like nothing much is happening at first. Then suddenly they’ll start to deepen in colour and smell absolutely gorgeous. This is where the flavour comes from.
Please don’t turn the heat up to make it faster. High heat will brown the outside before the onions have properly softened, and you’ll get harsh, bitter bits instead of sweet caramelised loveliness. Low and slow is the way.
The good news is that you don’t need to hover over them. Just give them a stir occasionally and you’ll be grand.
Ingredients
- Olive oil and butter – The onions cook in both olive oil and butter. The oil helps stop the butter from catching, and the butter adds lovely richness.
- Onions – You’ll need three large onions. It looks like a lot when they first go into the pan, but they cook down dramatically. They’re the base of the sauce, so don’t reduce the amount.
- Sausages – Use sausages you really like because they bring a lot of flavour to the finished dish. Pork sausages work beautifully, but you could use chicken sausages or vegetarian sausages if you prefer. Go for good quality ones please!
- Double cream – This turns the caramelised onions into a creamy sauce. You only need 150ml because the onions and sausages are already doing plenty of work.
- Dried pasta – I used farfalle, which works really well because the sauce clings to the little folds. Penne, rigatoni, fusilli or conchiglie would also be good.
- Salt and pepper – Season the onions at the start with a pinch of salt, then taste again at the end. Sausages can vary a lot in saltiness, so it’s best to adjust after everything is combined.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by peeling, halving and finely slicing the onions.
Put them into a pan with the olive oil, butter and a pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every now and then, until the onions are soft, golden and caramelised.
Meanwhile, cook the sausages. You can bake them in the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes, or fry them for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. Once cooked, slice them into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain.
When the onions are ready, add the sliced sausages to the pan with 50ml water and the double cream. Stir everything together so the onions loosen into the cream and create a sauce.
Tip in the drained pasta and stir again until everything is coated.
Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Variations You Can Try
You could add a handful of spinach at the end if you want some greenery. Stir it in with the pasta and let it wilt into the sauce.
A little grated Parmesan would be delicious on top, though the dish is rich enough without it.
You could also add thyme to the onions while they cook, or a pinch of chilli flakes if you want a little heat.
For a vegetarian version, use good vegetarian sausages. Cook them separately, slice them, then add them to the sauce in the same way.
Creamy Caramelised Onion and Sausage Pasta
Equipment
- Large frying pan or sauté pan
- Saucepan for the pasta
- Baking tray or frying pan for the sausages
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 20 g butter
- 3 large onions
- 6 sausages
- 150 ml double cream
- 350 g dried pasta such as farfalle
- 50 ml water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel, halve and finely slice the onions.
- Put the onions into a pan with the olive oil, butter and a pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every now and then, until golden and caramelised.
- Meanwhile, cook the sausages. Either bake them in the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes, or fry them for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, then drain.
- When the onions are caramelised, add the sliced sausages, 50ml water and double cream to the pan. Stir well.
- Tip in the drained pasta and stir again until coated in the sauce.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- The onions need to cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t rush this step – it’s where the flavour comes from.
- Keep the heat low. If the onions start to catch or brown too quickly, turn the heat down.
- You can caramelise the onions ahead and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Use sausages you really like, as their flavour comes through in the finished dish.
- If the sauce gets too thick, add another splash of water to loosen it.
- Leftovers can be reheated with a splash of water or cream.
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