This caramelized onion pasta with greens and bacon is a great way to use whatever greens you have on hand! Salty bacon and sweet caramelized onions combine for a great main meal or side dish ready in 30 minutes.

We’ve had almost every dark green leafy vegetable that summer could possibly produce come into our kitchen via the CSA box.
Before beets greens there was lacinato kale. There was also red chard, Swiss chard, and rainbow chard.
It’s been quite interesting… did you know that the LEAVES of the broccoli plant are edible? And guess how you cook them – just like every other green!
Coming up with a staple recipe that could handle any type of greens quickly became my top priority. Otherwise, a good chunk of my money would be going into the compost pile every week.
Besides, I needed a plan for all the frozen beet greens in my freezer.
I went in search of recipe inspiration and found everything from onions and butter to bacon and vinegar…I was practically drooling on my keyboard.
So I put all the best ideas into this caramelized onion pasta with greens.
Judging by the way Mr. Crumbs was shoveling the last bite on his plate into his mouth to make room for a second helping, I’d say we have a winner!
CARAMELIZED ONION PASTA WITH GREENS
I’ve decided to call this dish caramelized onion pasta with greens.
It’s not the most creative, but it’s accurate. And this meal is way good, so feel free to call it whatever you want. “Yum in a bowl” works too.
- Comfort food. Like Creamy Squash Pasta Bake is comfort food in the winter, caramelized onions pasta with greens is comfort food anytime. The saltiness of the bacon contrasts with the sweetness of the caramelized onions for a perfect combination.
- Simple ingredients. With just a few simple ingredients you likely have on hand, you can whip this up any time!
- Prevents food waste. Use up the greens you weren’t sure what to do with, whether you bought too many at the store or got something new in your CSA box.
- Quick fill-in meal. It’s one of those recipes you can turn to when you’re in a pinch for a quick meal or when everything in the fridge looks unappetizing.
- Easy. This is seriously one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make! This recipe can be made with one hand tied behind your back…or for some of you, while you’re nursing a baby, answering the phone, or untangling toddlers from beneath your legs.

PASTA AND CARAMELIZED ONION RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Do you see the goodness in that bowl?
- Bacon. Everything’s better with bacon! You can reduce the amount of bacon (or even omit it). Keep in mind that you want that bacon flavor, so be sure to start with a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease to caramelize the onions.
- Yellow Onions. Thin slices caramelized in savory bacon grease to make a vegetable so sweet, it could be served for dessert. White onions work too, but I’d avoid red onions for this recipe. They don’t tend to get as sweet.
- Butter or bacon grease (optional). Use olive oil for vegan greens and onions.
- Greens. If you’re new to dark leafy greens, chard has the mildest flavor of them all. Beet greens have the strongest flavor, and kale falls in the middle. If your family loves greens, feel free to double the quantity!
- Pasta. We’ve tried caramelized onion pasta with spaghetti, farfalle, elbow noodles, and small shells – you really can’t go wrong. If you have a few different types of pasta to use up, you can mix them here! For a gluten-free version of this caramelized onion recipe, use any gluten-free pasta.
- Simple seasonings. Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper are all you need for great flavor. You can add fresh herbs as desired if you have them on hand.
Psst! Not all salts are made the same! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).

HOW TO MAKE CARAMALIZED ONION PASTA
Step 1. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, cook the bacon until almost crispy. Remove bacon from the pan but leave the grease. Add sliced onions and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2. Meanwhile, prepare pasta al dente in a large pot according to package instructions. Drain pasta water.

Step 3. Add the greens and cook until the onions are caramelized and the greens are wilted and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add butter or additional bacon grease if the onion mixture seems dry.

Step 4. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Step 5. Add the finished onions, chard, and bacon to the pasta and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Store leftover caramelized onion pasta and greens in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you find your pasta is a bit dry out of the fridge, drizzle in a bit of chicken broth or butter when reheating.

TIPS FOR ONION PASTA WITH GREENS
- This caramalized onion pasta recipe is just enough for dinner for a family of four. If you want leftovers or have hearty eaters, double the recipe. Feel free to leave the amount of bacon the same – just add more bacon grease to start.
- If you’re feeling fancy, add a couple of shavings of Parmesan cheese or a few tablespoons of heavy cream to create a creamy sauce. Totally optional, of course, but rich and indulgent for sure!
- Add more veggies! Sliced mushrooms, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, or even chopped green beans would be yummy in this dish.
- Swap out the meat. Try Italian sausage instead of bacon (use butter or olive oil to cook the greens).
- If you’d like a vegan onion pasta with greens, just omit the bacon and cook with olive oil.

SERVE WITH CARAMELIZED ONION PASTA
We like to serve this as a main dish along with bread or a side salad. It’s the perfect amount for our family! Try it with these:
- Homemade Focaccia and Kale Caesar Salad
- Cloud Dinner Rolls and the Best Kale Salad
- Rosemary Sea Salt Flatbread and Waldorf Dinner Salad
- Crostini and Spinach Salad with Apples and Cranberries
It’s also great to serve as a side dish with your favorite protein. These would be yummy:

BACON AND PASTA MACRO TRACKING
Can I really eat pasta with caramelized onions and bacon when I’m tracking my macros?
Absolutely!
No food is off-limits here.
This dish contains fat and protein from the bacon, but how you fill the rest of your plate to fit your macros is up to you.
Need more protein? Serve the caramelized onion pasta as a side dish with a portion of lean protein, like chicken breast, boneless skinless chicken thighs, steak, or fish.
Have room for more carbs? Add a side of your favorite whole-grain bread, brown rice, or sweet potatoes.
You’ll likely have enough fat from the bacon grease or butter you use to cook the onions and greens, but if you have room for more, freshly grated Parmesan cheese is delicious on these greens!
Fill out your plate with low-carb produce like broccoli, asparagus, berries, or a yummy side salad and you’re all set!
CARAMELIZED ONIONS PASTA FAQS
What is the trick to caramelizing onions?
Cooking them low and slow. Cook thinly sliced onions over low heat and be patient – the caramelization process takes a while. Add just enough fat so that the onions don’t stick to the pan.
Is there a sauce for caramelized onions pasta?
Not in this recipe! Everything gets coated in the bacon grease as it’s cooking, which gives loads of flavor without weighing the pasta down. If you do want to make a creamy caramelized onion pasta with sauce, you can add some Parmesan cheese and heavy cream when mixing everything together at the end. But it’s not necessary – this caramelized onion pasta is delicious as is!
MORE DELICIOUS PASTA DISHES
- Skillet Pizza Veggie Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Cheesy Lentil Pasta
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole

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Caramelized Onion Pasta with Greens
This caramelized onion pasta with greens and bacon is a great way to use whatever greens you have on hand! Salty bacon and sweet caramelized onions combine for a great main meal or side dish ready in 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ lb bacon (227g)
- 1 large onion, very thinly sliced (128g)
- 2 Tbsp butter or additional bacon grease (optional) (28g)
- 1 lb greens (any chard, any kale or beet greens), washed and sliced into 1″ pieces (454g)
- 8 oz favorite pasta (spaghetti or shells – for gluten free, use any gluten free pasta) (224g)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed skillet, cook bacon until almost crispy. Remove bacon from the pan but leave the grease. Add onion and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain.
- Add the greens and cook until onions are caramelized and the greens are wilted and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add butter or additional bacon grease if the onion mixture seems dry.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add finished onions, chard, and bacon to the pasta and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- This caramelized onion pasta recipe is just enough for dinner for a family of four. If you want leftovers or have hearty eaters, double the recipe. Feel free to leave the amount of bacon the same – just add more bacon grease to start.
- If you’re feeling fancy, add a couple of shavings of Parmesan cheese or a few tablespoons of heavy cream to create a creamy sauce. Totally optional, of course, but rich and indulgent for sure!
- Add more veggies! Sliced mushrooms, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, or even chopped green beans would be yummy in this dish.
- Swap out the meat. Try Italian sausage instead of bacon (use butter or olive oil to cook the greens).
- If you’d like a vegan onion pasta with greens, just omit the bacon and cook with olive oil.
This recipe was great. My husband and I really enjoyed it. It is just the two of us. We have been empty nesters for the last four years.
This was so good, I grabbed a bunch of collards & chopped those up with some kale & sliced onion. I did add a teeny bit of half & half to the veggie mix while in the skillet to create more of a sauce. It was delicious.
Just made this for my crew. I did add a little Parmesan like I read in one comment as well as some Italian seasoning because we love lots of flavor. Delicious!!!
That’s a great ide Angie! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This was incredible!! I made it tonight!! I used kale and added 1/4 cup each of cream and Parmesan cheese because they needed to be used up, and my family devoured it! Thanks for sharing!
We are vegan I make these “bacon” mushrooms by marinating mushrooms in tamari, toasted sesame oil and liquid smoke and then either pan fry or oven bake (depending on season–too hot for oven in summer) that would be perfect with this. Kale is so cheap and healthy and tastes great to bulk out a meal. I can often get away with less pasta if I have kale in there. Will try this recipe this week with some bacon mushrooms. thanks!
We had this tonight and really loved it… Served with watermelon for dessert:) I thought it would be good as leftovers with an fried egg on top. Esp for lunch! Blessings:)
Hi Tiffany, I made this dish for the first time tonight and everyone declared it delicious! I sautéed diced zucchini (instead of greens) with Vidalia onions while my bacon was cooking in the oven, and the noodles were boiling. So easy to put together and fast. Loved it!!!
What beautiful photos! This looks so easy and yummy. I need to make this for my boys and a zoodle version for me. YUM! Thanks, sweet friend!
Aw, thank you Kelly!! I hope you guys like it as much as we do! 🙂
We’re a gluten free family and rice pasta isn’t always a good sub for wheat pasta. But Zucchini pasta fits the bill nicely. Not as substantial a dish but would make a good ‘major’ side dish. I’ll be making this real soon.
I’ve been doing the same thing with many vegetables from my CSA bag. Last time included yellow squash, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and chard(stems and leaves). The more vegetables I use the less pasta is included. Adding a little bone broth and or grated cheese makes a feast!
We make this dish all the time and it’s so yummy! I usually use turnip greens since I often have them in my garden year round. But, my all time favorite green to use is arugula. Sounds weird but give it a try. You’ll love it! I sometimes use mild Italian sausage if I don’t have bacon.
It doesn’t sound weird at all! I almost bought arugula to try it out, but wanted to try kale first. Next time I’m going with the arugula!