Description
Comforting French onion beef short rib soup blends rich, slow-cooked meat with caramelized onions in a luxurious broth. Hearty flavors meld together, offering a soul-warming experience that connects deep culinary traditions with pure, rustic satisfaction you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms) beef short ribs
Aromatics and Vegetables:
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 cups (0.95 liters) beef broth
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) red wine (optional, or substitute with more beef broth)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Toppings:
- 4 slices French bread, toasted
- 1 cup (100 grams) Gruyere cheese, grated
Instructions
- Generously coat short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high temperature, creating a golden sear on all sides of the meat. Transfer browned ribs to a separate plate.
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and slowly transform sliced onions into a rich, caramel-colored mixture, stirring periodically until deeply golden and soft, approximately 20 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic, fresh thyme, and bay leaf to the caramelized onions. Pour beef broth and optional red wine into the pot, then carefully return seared short ribs to the liquid.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and allow the ribs to braise for 2 hours until meat becomes incredibly tender and easily pulls apart.
- During the final cooking stage, toast French bread slices until crisp and golden.
- Extract short ribs from the soup, meticulously shred the meat using two forks, and reintegrate into the rich broth.
- Carefully ladle the aromatic soup into serving bowls, crown each portion with a crisp bread slice, and generously sprinkle grated Gruyere cheese on top.
- Serve immediately while piping hot, allowing the cheese to slightly melt and create a luxurious finish.
Notes
- Choose bone-in short ribs for maximum flavor and tenderness, as the marrow adds rich depth to the soup.
- Caramelize onions slowly over low-medium heat to develop a deep, sweet, and complex flavor without burning.
- Remove excess fat from short ribs before browning to prevent greasy texture and ensure a clean, robust taste.
- Substitute Gruyere with provolone or Swiss cheese for different flavor profiles or dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg