French Onion Soup
This is simple and delicious food that anyone can make. My French Onion Soup recipe is not as complicated as Julia Child's. It does not call for wine and cognac and I don't make my own beef broth, unless I happen to have some already made. Don't worry, you won't miss any of that!
A trick that adds loads of flavor to a soup is adding a small piece of Parmesan Cheese Rind when you are ready to simmer the soup. I save my cheese rinds in a plastic baggy in the freezer until I'm ready to make my next soup! It's so easy and can really elevate your broth.
The soup is very simple to make but does take some time. I made this onion soup the day before serving it, then reheated it in a smaller pot on the stove top before assembling it and broiling the cheese.
The onions need time to caramelize slowly in the butter until they become soft, silky and luscious. I do this in a Dutch oven over a few hours. You will know it's time to finish the soup when the natural sugars start to brown the onions.
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That's when I mix 1/4 cup of flour into them and the rest of the soup ingredients. Bring the soup to a low boil then reduce the heat to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before assembling the mugs and broiling the cheese.
It's important to use good oven proof mugs or crocks to finish the soup for serving. These are freezer and oven safe mugs my mother gave me for Christmas. I just love them for this presentation!
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Fire up the broiler and place the mugs on a baking sheet. Fill the mugs 3/4 full of onion soup. Top them with pieces of toasted French or Sourdough Bread (our favorite). Now pile up the toasts with shredded mozzarella and a healthy grating of Parmesan cheese.
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Place the prepared soups into the oven using the baking sheet and broil until browned and bubbly. Be very careful when removing them from the oven as the mugs will be very hot!
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I like to place them on a small plate with a folded napkin on top of the plate. It helps to sop up any spillage. Picking the crusty cheese off the top and dunking the melty cheese into the hot brothy soup is so satisfying and just messy enough to be perfect!
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Pub Style Cheesy Bread
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Fried Haloummi with Tuscan Kale
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An American Pot Roast
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Panang Pumpkin Soup
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Quick Turkey Ramen Pho
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French Onion Soup
Ingredients
6 Medium Sweet Onions, peeled, cut in half and sliced
4 tablespoons of butter
2 Bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
64 ounces good beef broth
1 inch square piece of aged Parmesan Cheese Rind
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Better than Bouillon Beef Soup Base
4 pieces of toasted French or Sourdough Bread
12 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
16 Tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
(or substitute with four slices of Swiss or Provolone cheese)
Method
Melt the butter and add all of the onions to a heavy bottom stock pot or Dutch oven on the stove top with the bay leaves and the garlic. Stir well, then cover the pot and cook over low heat stirring occasionally until all of the onions are very soft and translucent. 60-90 minutes.
Liquid will have accumulated in the pot, so now remove the lid and continue to cook until most of the liquid is either evaporated or absorbed by the onions and they start to turn lightly brown. About 30 minutes. Stir in the flour until blended.
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Now add the beef broth, the Parmesan cheese rind , soy sauce
and Better than Bouillon Beef Soup Base. Bring the soup to a low boil then reduce the heat to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before assembling the mugs and broiling the cheese.
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Heat the broiler to high and place 4 oven proof mugs or crocks on a baking sheet. Fill the mugs 3/4 full with the onion soup. Top them with pieces of toasted French or Sourdough Bread (our favorite). Now top the toasts evenly with the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
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Place the prepared soups into the oven using the baking sheet and broil until browned and bubbly. Be very careful when removing them from the oven as the mugs will be very hot!