Description
Hearty French onion short rib soup melds rich braised beef with caramelized onions in a luxurious broth, crowned by a golden gruyere toast. Comfort and elegance combine in this classic French-inspired dish you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds (700 grams) bone-in short ribs
- 4 cups (960 milliliters) beef stock or broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) beef stock or broth
Aromatics and Flavor Enhancers:
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Liquids and Seasoning:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) red wine
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Cheese and Bread:
- 4 slices of baguette
- 1 cup (100 grams) shredded Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by warming it to 325F (165C), creating an ideal braising temperature for the short ribs.
- Generously coat the short ribs with salt and pepper, ensuring complete seasoning coverage.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high temperature, creating a searing surface for the meat.
- Thoroughly brown the short ribs on all exterior surfaces, developing a rich, caramelized exterior that locks in flavor.
- Deglaze the pot with red wine, carefully scraping up the concentrated browned bits from the bottom of the vessel.
- Pour in beef stock, integrate thyme and bay leaf, then return the short ribs to the liquid environment.
- Cover and transfer to the preheated oven, allowing the ribs to braise for 2.5-3 hours until the meat becomes incredibly tender and effortlessly separable from the bone.
- Extract the ribs, meticulously shred the meat, and discard the bones while preserving the flavorful braising liquid.
- In a separate large pot, combine butter and olive oil over medium heat to create a foundation for caramelizing onions.
- Introduce sliced onions, sugar, and salt, continuously stirring to achieve a deep, rich caramelization over 25-30 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour into the onion mixture, cooking briefly to eliminate any raw flour taste and create a thickening base.
- Deglaze with white wine, creating additional depth and complexity to the developing soup.
- Incorporate beef stock, reserved braising liquid, thyme, and previously shredded short rib meat.
- Simmer the mixture for 20-25 minutes, allowing the flavors to harmonize and intensify.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to perfect the flavor profile.
- Activate the broiler and lightly toast baguette slices on one side.
- Flip the bread, generously top with Gruyere cheese, and broil until the cheese becomes melted and gloriously bubbly.
- Carefully ladle the rich soup into serving bowls.
- Crown each bowl with a Gruyere-topped toast or serve alongside for optimal dipping experience.
- Optionally garnish with a delicate thyme sprig or freshly cracked black pepper for a final aromatic touch.
Notes
- Slow-cooking transforms tough short ribs into melt-in-your-mouth tender meat, creating deep, rich flavor layers.
- Caramelizing onions requires patience; low and slow heat develops sweet, complex undertones without burning.
- Use a sharp mandoline or knife to slice onions uniformly, ensuring even cooking and consistent texture.
- Select high-quality Gruyere cheese for maximum melting potential and nutty, complex flavor profile.
- Make ahead by braising short ribs a day in advance, allowing flavors to intensify and making final assembly easier.
- Gluten-free option: Replace wheat flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend for thickening the soup.
- Dairy-free adaptation: Swap Gruyere with nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese alternative for similar umami depth.
- Control salt levels by using low-sodium beef stock and tasting throughout cooking process.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3.54 hours
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg