Caramelized Shallot Pasta
Officially known as Alison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta, this is a prime example of a recipe with minimal ingredients but maximum flavor. Oh, and it’s supremely addicting.
Recipe Mood: Pasta Necessity
Indulgence Level: Medium
Effort Level: Easy
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If there’s one recipe I wish I could have conjured up myself, it’s Allison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta. This dish is relatively modest ingredient-wise but a flavor bomb thanks to fresh garlic, unctuous anchovies (try this roasted tomato linguine puttanesca if you’re an anchovy lover), and a heaping pile of cooked shallots clinging to glistening strands of linguine.
Alas, I did not create this recipe, so the next best thing I could do was cook and eat it. However, I did tweak it a bit to suit my taste better. Essentially, I use less tomato paste because I think it allows the shallot flavor to come through more (not that it’s shy to begin with), and I don’t garnish the pasta with minced raw garlic because I find raw garlic too harsh sometimes.
I do, however, add that extra clove directly to the shallot mixture, and I use fewer red pepper flakes. I also skip Step 4 of reducing the sauce further by cooking it down because I already use less tomato paste, and I think the mixture is already “jammy” enough. Lastly, I use a little more pasta than the original recipe does.
Overall, I think my alterations are relatively minor, considering what is otherwise a truly delightful plate of pasta. If you haven’t made this one yet, I encourage you to!
Why You’ll Love This Caramelized Shallot Pasta
Tens of thousands of people can’t be wrong: As of this writing, Alison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta recipe on the New York Times has a five-star rating based on 18K reviews!
A dream for shallot lovers: There’s no getting around the killer flavor—and intoxicating “high”—of caramelized shallots.
Tastes just as good the next day: That is, if you have any leftovers.
Key Ingredients
- Shallots: Any other onion is unacceptable here. This dish is all about the shallots.
- Fresh Garlic: The amount of garlic here is pretty generous but necessary for optimal flavor.
- Anchovies: Do not skip them! If you don’t like anchovies, I recommend making another recipe.
- Tomato Paste: Do not use canned tomatoes or tomato sauce. The paste brings everything together.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to Make This Recipe
- Cook the shallots and garlic: Cook them in a pan with the olive oil until the shallots caramelize, about 30 minutes.
- Add the anchovies: Stir in the anchovies, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes and cook everything for a couple of minutes, stirring often, to darken the tomato paste and cook out any raw tomato flavor.
- Cook and drain the pasta: Boil the linguine in salted water. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Toss everything together: Toss the linguine with the shallot mixture and add some pasta water to loosen everything. Garnish with the fresh parsley.
Pro Tips
Slice the shallots as thinly as possible: The thinner they are, the “jammier” they get when you cook them.
Use a mandolin: You can slice the shallots faster this way than with a knife. Use the thinnest setting possible; just take precautions when handling it!
Don’t worry about burning the sliced garlic: The garlic cooks in a generous amount of olive oil and plenty of shallots, allowing it to cook for a while without burning. Instead, it will turn a lovely golden brown.
Variations & Substitutions
Use the total amount of tomato paste listed in the original recipe.
Add the raw garlic clove as per the original recipe.
Any sturdy long pasta will work, including spaghetti, bucatini, or fettuccine.
Experiment with a full pound of pasta if you’d like, as some people find they can stretch the “sauce.”
Recipe FAQs
Anchovies straight from the tin are very strong and even fishy, but they develop a concentrated, umami flavor when cooked down in olive oil (They also no longer taste fishy.) They are, however, quite salty, so there’s no need to ever salt them.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You may want to save any remaining pasta water (keep it in the fridge in a separate container or add it directly to the pasta) to moisten the leftovers before reheating.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta. It tastes best fresh or reheated directly from the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat in an oven-safe pan, covered, at 350F or lower until heated through. You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl.
More Pasta Recipes
- Linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic
- Broccoli pasta with anchovy breadcrumbs
- Chorizo and shrimp pasta with peppery arugula
- Crispy pancetta pasta with canned clams
If you love this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you could take a moment to review it below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Caramelized Shallot Pasta
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 large shallots peeled and sliced thinly (Note 1)
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and sliced thinly
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 tin anchovies (2 ounces), drained
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 12 ounces linguine or other long pasta
- ¼ to ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the shallots become soft, transluscent, and slightly caramelized. They should turn into a jammy consistency.
- Add the anchovies (you can add them whole, as they'll dissolve in the pan as they cook) along with the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently so the paste doesn't burn but darkens in color.
- Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining it.
- Toss the pasta with the shallot mixture. Add some pasta water to loosen everything, and top it with however much minced parsley you want. Enjoy!