French Onion Short Rib Soup with Gruyère Toast Recipe
This French Onion Short Rib Soup with Gruyère Toast combines tender, fall-apart beef short ribs with deeply caramelized onions in a rich beef broth, enhanced by red wine and fresh herbs. Topped with crispy baguette slices melted with nutty Gruyère cheese, this comforting soup offers layers of savory flavors perfect for a cozy meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Meat and Broth
- 3 pounds beef short ribs
- 8 cups beef stock
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 6 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Bread and Cheese
- 1 French baguette, sliced
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup dry red wine
Instructions
- Brown the Short Ribs: Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the short ribs on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Caramelize Onions: Add butter and more olive oil to the same pot, then stir in the sliced onions. Cook on low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and golden brown.
- Add Garlic and Deglaze: Add minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Let the wine reduce for a few minutes to concentrate the flavor.
- Simmer Soup: Add beef stock, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and return the browned short ribs to the pot. Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Prepare Gruyère Toast: Toast the baguette slices under the broiler until golden brown. Top each slice with shredded Gruyère cheese and return to the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Finish and Serve: Remove bay leaves and thyme stems from the soup. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with the Gruyère toasts. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- For extra depth, you can brown the bones in the oven before adding stock to enhance beef stock flavor.
- If red wine is unavailable, substitute with additional beef stock and a splash of balsamic vinegar for acidity.
- Use day-old baguette slices for better toasting results and texture.
- Gruyère can be substituted with Swiss or Emmental cheese if needed.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly when deglazing to capture all caramelized onion flavors.
