To no one’s surprise, we can thank my cravings for this one! I have been dreaming of the French Onion soup I had in Lyon, France last month but I wanted less of a soup vibe and more of a hearty roast vibe. And that was when I was like what about French Onion soup AND a pot roast. And my Bistro French Onion Pasta was born!
My Bistro French Onion Pasta is everything we love about French onion soup, the deep, silky, wine-kissed broth, the jammy onions, the melty cheese…but it gets a hearty glow-up with a juicy roast and then it is all tossed with pasta.
It’s cozy.
It’s indulgent.
It’s slightly dramatic (in a good way).
And it tastes like something your favorite little Parisian bistro would serve!
While this dish is simple, it does take some time, so plan to make it on a Saturday or Sunday. Listen to your favorite podcast, pour your favorite beverage and get lost in this dish!
PrintBistro French Onion Pot Roast
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
For the Roast:
3–3 1/2 lb beef chuck roast
3 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For the Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
3 large shallots or 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine (Côtes du Rhône, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet)
3 1/2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp arrowroot or corn starch
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (to finish)
1 cup gruyere or mozzarella cheese, shredded
For Serving:
16 oz rigatoni, penne or fusillotti pasta
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Sear the Roast Deeply
Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or heavy braiser) over medium-high.
Sear the roast on all sides until dark golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate. Sprinkle roast on all sides with 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (we do this after searing because the black pepper will burn since we want such a deep sear!). Set aside.
Caramelize the Shallots
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and once melted, add the shallots and 1 tsp kosher salt. Cook slowly for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden and jammy. Add the garlic for the last minute. Stir and allow to get fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Build the Flavor Base
Stir in tomato paste, cook 2-3 minutes until darkened and sticky. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up all the brown bits. Simmer 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
Braise
Add beef stock, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon, thyme, and bay leaf.
Nestle the roast back into the pot; it should be about half submerged in the liquid.
Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a 325°F oven.
Braise for 2½-3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and the liquid is reduced and glossy.
About 30 minutes before the roast comes out, fill a large pot with water and cook your noodles according to package instructions. Set aside. Reserve one cup of pasta water.
Finish the Sauce
Remove roast and tent with foil.
Skim excess fat from the liquid.
Place the pot on the stove over medium high heat and let come to a boil.
Add your arrowroot slurry to thicken (1 Tbsp arrow root or cornstarch thoroughly mixed with 1 Tbsp water). Stir to incorporate the slurry. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and reduce on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes until silky. (If the sauce gets too thick, you can add some of the reserved pasta water to reach your preferred consistency). Turn heat to low.
Serve
Slice or pull apart the roast and add it back into the pot with the onion-wine broth. Add the noodles and stir to combine. Remove from the heat. Top with an even layer of the cheese. Place the pot under the broiler to let the cheese get melty, about 2-3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
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