French Onion Short Rib Soup with Gruyère Toast Recipe
A rich and hearty French Onion Short Rib Soup featuring tender, slow-simmered beef short ribs and caramelized onions, complemented by savory beef stock, red wine, and fresh herbs. Topped with crispy baguette slices melted with Gruyère cheese, this comforting soup is perfect for cold days and elegant enough for special occasions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 3 pounds beef short ribs
Soup Base
- 6 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups beef stock
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Toppings
- 1 French baguette, sliced
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Season and Brown Short Ribs: Season the short ribs evenly with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the short ribs on all sides until richly caramelized. Remove ribs and set aside.
- Caramelize Onions: In the same pot, add butter and additional olive oil if needed. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become deeply caramelized and golden brown.
- Add Garlic and Deglaze: Stir in the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant. Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce for a few minutes to concentrate the flavor.
- Simmer the Soup: Add the beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and return the browned short ribs to the pot. Cover and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the short ribs are tender and the meat easily falls apart.
- Prepare Gruyère Toasts: While the soup simmers, slice the French baguette and toast the slices under the broiler until they turn golden. Sprinkle shredded Gruyère cheese on top of each slice, then return to the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly and slightly browned.
- Finish and Serve: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the soup. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with Gruyère toasts. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy.
Notes
- For best flavor, use good quality beef stock and dry red wine.
- Cooking the onions slowly is key to developing the signature sweet and rich flavor.
- Be sure to remove the thyme stems and bay leaves before serving for a smooth texture.
- The Gruyère toasts add a delightful cheesy crunch that complements the soup perfectly.
- Leftover soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
Keywords: French onion soup, short rib soup, caramelized onions, Gruyère toast, beef stock soup, comforting soup, French cuisine, slow simmered soup
