Description
A rich, comforting twist on French onion soup featuring tender braised short ribs, deeply caramelized onions, and cheesy Gruyère toast topping. It’s a hearty, refined cold-weather centerpiece.
Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine
6 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons sherry or cognac
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 loaf rustic sourdough or French bread, sliced thick
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot, lower the heat and add butter, onions, and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring often, for about 45 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and jammy.
4. Add garlic, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with flour and stir well.
5. Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in sherry or cognac and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Return the short ribs to the pot. Add beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the short ribs are fork-tender.
8. Remove the short ribs and shred or leave whole as desired. Discard bay leaves and thyme stems. Skim excess fat from the surface.
9. Return meat to the pot. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Toast the bread slices until golden. Top each with a mound of Gruyère and broil until melted and bubbly.
11. Ladle hot soup into bowls and top each with a cheese toast. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.
Notes
Let the onions take their time to caramelize—this is where the soup’s flavor base is built.
Use bone-in short ribs if possible for richer broth texture and flavor.
Store bread and soup separately if making ahead to maintain crisp cheesy topping.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Soups & Stews
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups with 1 toast
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: french onion soup, short ribs, braised beef, gruyere toast, hearty winter soup