Description
Craving something comforting yet elegant? This Rich French Onion Soup with Tender Short Ribs & Gruyère Bread is exactly what your dinner table needs. With slow-cooked caramelized onions, fall-apart short ribs, and a savory beef broth finished with golden broiled cheese toast, this dish takes classic French onion soup to the next level. Perfect for cozy nights or impressing your dinner guests, it hits all the right notes of deep flavor, richness, and hearty satisfaction. A must-try if you’re looking for easy dinner ideas, satisfying food ideas, or a restaurant-style recipe you can make at home. Bonus: it’s a fantastic make-ahead meal for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
6 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 loaf rustic bread, sliced
1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear in olive oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Add butter and sliced onions to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until caramelized and golden brown (about 35–40 minutes).
3. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in red wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
5. Return short ribs to the pot. Add beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Remove short ribs, discard bones and excess fat, shred meat, and return to soup. Discard bay leaves and thyme stems. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Preheat broiler. Top bread slices with Gruyère and broil until melted and bubbly.
8. Serve soup in bowls topped with cheesy toast or serve toast on the side for dipping.
Notes
For best flavor, make the soup a day ahead and reheat before serving.
Use oven-safe soup crocks for a restaurant-style finish under the broiler.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop + Broiler
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: short rib soup, French onion soup with meat, cozy dinner, fall soup, soup with bread