Sweet, fried caramelized onions, buttery cream broth, garlic croutons, grated white cheddar.
Is there anything cozier than a steaming bowl of soup on a cold day? I think not. Especially when paired with garlicky bread, smothered in sweet, fried onion and melted white cheddar. The heap of onions need to be caramelized, a step taking up most of the cook time. It will take at least 30 minutes to caramelize the large amount of onions needed for this recipe. When the sugars in onions reach a certain temperature, caramelization (aka the "magic") occurs. The onions will have a richer color and more flavor the more caramelized they are.
Believe me, it's well worth the wait.
The second most important element is the broth. Your soup will only be as good as the stock you are using. This soup is traditionally made with beef stock, which I used here, but also with some miso stock for a deeper, more savory broth.
"The secret ingredient is time. And the more onions, the better."
*The best cheese to use? Gruyere and Parmesan are the classics, but you can also use Gouda, Swiss, Fontina, Mozzarella or white cheddar.
*How to Freeze It? This soup freezes really nicely without the croutons. Make a big batch, store in a sealed container, and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat by boiling on the stovetop.
*What kind of onion? Red or white onions. I used yellow the first time cooking this soup, and it turned out VERY sweet. Still gorgeous and delicious, but if you prefer more savory over sweet flavor, definitely go for white onions.
French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
SOUP
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp light butter
4 large red or white onions (~3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp + 2 pinches sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c red wine
2 c beef stock + 1/2 c water
1 c miso stock *optional
Cream: 200g cottage cheese, splash almond milk, pinch salt, pepper
TOPPINGS
2 slices wheat bread, toasted
1 clove garlic
Grated white cheddar
Parsley
Red pepper flakes, to taste
(Serves 3)
Method:
1. Start by adding a drizzle of olive oil to your deep pot over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt before adding sliced onions with ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and let onions caramelize until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on them, and adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. The caramelization should take at least 30 minutes. *You have the option of adding 1 tbsp of sugar or honey to sweeten. If using yellow onions, this is not necessary.
2. While frying onions, slice your veggies and set aside. I used mushroom and celery, but you can choose any veggies you like. Add spices and minced garlic to your onions and stir.
3. Once onions are beautifully caramelized, add wine, water, and broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
4. Make the cream by adding the cottage cheese, milk, and salt, pepper to a blender. Pulse until smooth.
5. Reduce heat to low, pour in the cream, and let the soup simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer you allow the soup to simmer, the better it will be. Make sure to remove bay leaves before broiling step!
6. Set your oven to broil, and set 2-3 individual ovenproof dishes on a baking sheet. Slice your toasted bread into pieces, and rub each with the clove of garlic.
7. Ladle soup into containers, and cover the top with "croutons." Sprinkle each generously with cheese
8. Broil for 2 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns. Top with parsley, tuck in, and enjoy!
*Nutritional values may vary based on what you use.
Calories (1 serving) | Carbohydrates (g) | Fat (g) | Protein (g) |
517 | 48 | 20 | 35 |
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