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French Onion Short Rib Soup with Cheesy Gruyère Toast

A rich and comforting French onion soup featuring tender slow-cooked beef short ribs, caramelized onions, and a savory broth, topped with crispy French bread toasted with melted Gruyère cheese for a hearty, cozy meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter
  • 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • Red chili flakes, to taste
  • 68 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 star anise (optional)
  • 2 cups baby carrots
  • 6 slices French bread
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown short ribs on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions and carrots in leftover fat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  4. Add red wine (optional), tomato paste, broth, herbs (thyme, sage, bay leaves, star anise), tamari, and short ribs to the pot. Cover and place in oven.
  5. While meat cooks, melt butter in a separate pan and slowly caramelize the sliced onions over 20-30 minutes until golden and soft.
  6. Remove pot from oven, stir in caramelized onions, and return to oven to continue cooking until meat is tender and falling off the bone (about 2-3 hours total).
  7. Remove meat from pot, let cool slightly, then shred meat off the bones and return to soup.
  8. Skim fat from the surface of the soup if desired.
  9. To prepare cheesy Gruyère toast, top French bread slices with butter, shredded Gruyère cheese, and thyme. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  10. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with shredded short rib meat and Gruyère toast, then broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.
  11. Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh thyme and a pinch of chili flakes.

Notes

This soup benefits from slow cooking to develop deep flavors and tender meat. Caramelizing the onions slowly is key to the rich broth. The cheesy Gruyère toast adds a luxurious, melty topping that complements the savory soup perfectly.

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