Description
French Onion Beef Soup is a hearty, comforting dish that combines caramelized onions, tender seared beef, and savory beef stock slowly cooked in the oven to develop deep, rich flavors. Topped with toasted French bread and melted Gruyère cheese, this classic soup offers a perfect balance of savory, cheesy goodness and melt-in-your-mouth beefiness, ideal for cozy family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 head garlic, peeled, cloves removed
- 1 pound baby potatoes or cubed red potatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Meat & Seasoning
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons French onion seasoning
Liquids & Oils
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 cups beef stock, divided (¼ cup + 7 ¾ cups)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Other
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (or Swiss cheese)
- ½ loaf French bread, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare onions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Thinly slice the onions with a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Bake onions and garlic: Place onions and garlic cloves in an oven-safe cast iron Dutch oven. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
- Lower oven temperature: After baking the onions, reduce oven heat to 350°F and carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven.
- Drain onions and garlic: Transfer onions and garlic to a rimmed plate or cutting board with grooves to drain excess liquid released from the vegetables.
- Preheat Dutch oven on stovetop: Place the Dutch oven on the stovetop over high heat.
- Season and sear beef: Toss cubed beef chuck roast with French onion seasoning. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the Dutch oven. When hot, add beef pieces and sear for 4-6 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove beef with a slotted spoon and set aside with the onions and garlic.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour ¼ cup beef stock into the Dutch oven and stir to scrape up all browned bits from the bottom.
- Add flour and cook: Sprinkle ¼ cup all-purpose flour evenly over the liquid, stirring to combine. Cook for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste.
- Add remaining liquids and bring to boil: Pour in remaining 7 ¾ cups beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well, increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Combine ingredients for slow cooking: Return seared beef, onions, and garlic to the pot. Add potatoes, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
- Transfer to oven and cook: Cover the Dutch oven with a lid or tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated 350°F oven. Cook for 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and beef to become tender.
- Remove herbs: After cooking, use tongs to discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the soup.
- Prepare toasted bread: Turn oven to broil on high and place an oven rack in the middle position. Arrange slices of French bread on a baking sheet and brush lightly with melted butter or spray with cooking spray. Broil for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from oven.
- Assemble and broil soup bowls: Ladle hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with a toast slice and a generous amount of shredded Gruyère cheese. Place bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned.
- Serve immediately: Carefully remove the bowls from the oven and serve the French Onion Beef Soup hot for a delicious, comforting meal.
Notes
- Use a mandoline for evenly thin onion slices to ensure even caramelization.
- French onion seasoning can be homemade or store-bought; it typically includes dry onion flakes, thyme, bay leaf, and other herbs.
- Gruyère cheese is preferred for its melting quality and flavor, but Swiss cheese is a good substitute.
- The cubed potatoes add body to the soup but can be omitted or substituted with other root vegetables if desired.
- The oven-safe Dutch oven is essential for both stovetop searing and slow oven cooking.
- Take care when broiling the cheese topping to avoid burning; watch closely.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven.
