Instead of a chef’s kiss, here’s a French kiss.
Happy Tuesday, all! We’ve got a COOL FRONT over the state right now, and that means a new soup was in order.
A test of patience, of time, and of dedication is this dish, but I promise that our French Onion Mushroom Soup is worth all of the extra virtues. You’re gonna feel like a saint after serving up the crocks. We’ve got a rich beefy broth flavored with golden caramelized onions and umami-heavy mushrooms and cheesy melty gruyere toasts for dunking into the beautiful bowl.
As always, I will never claim that my French grandmother long deceased handed down an authentic, classical recipe. Nor do I claim to be French. And I don’t even have a French grandmother. Basically, I ain’t a lying shit that say this is something you’d slurp up in the City of Love. But, it is an accessible, homemade nod to the beloved bowl that’ll keep you cozy all this fall and into a blustery winter.
Onion Fun-ion
Not actual Funyons. That’d be weird.
This soup involves a lot of passive time, so gather up your chores list and prepare to knock a few out while the onions caramelize. There is no shortcutting caramelized onions for French onion soup. I have provided quicker options in past recipes that demand less of the experience, but this one requires a slow hand.
First, the onions and mushrooms. I used yellow onions. Peel and thinly slice each onion and prepare to fucking sob your eyes out because onions are evil and shoot their defensive spears up your nostrils and into your tear ducts.
I saw some beech mushrooms at Trader Joes’ and quite appreciated the delicate, stringy texture, so I used those. You can buy shiitake, baby bella, or even shred up some king oysters. A blend of all? Why not? If the mushrooms are big, slice them in half.
Melt lots of butter in your soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then toss in your onions and mushrooms with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Think 1/2 teaspoon each.
Cook down the goods for 45-60 minutes. Yes, that long. Give them a stir every 5-10 minutes and monitor your heat very closely. If anything starts to crisp or stick to the bottom of your pot, lower the heat. You can add a bit of broth (think 1/4-1/2 cup) if you accidentally walked away for too long and shit just started to get dry like my sense of humor.
The onions will slowly, then quickly start to become jammy and turn a rich umber hue. Once this happens, they are ready to receive the other flavorings.
Next, the broth. Stir some flour into your onions. This will serve as your thickener. Then, add sherry vinegar and Worcestershire.
Pour in lots of good-quality beef broth next. If you’re a cool homemaker cottagecore dude like I am not, homemade beef broth is going to provide the most wonderful flavor. If not, I recommend Better Than Bouillon. The no-beef base is great too!
Simmer your soup gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring whenever you remember to.
The finisher: gruyere toasts. Traditional French onion soup is ladled into a soup crock, topped with a gruyere toast, and broiled until the cheese melts and bubbles and spills into the broth. I decided to arrange the toasts separately so the meal is more leftovers-friendly.
Slice up a baguette or a loaf of sourdough and arrange onto a baking sheet. Brush with a small amount of butter and, the key, rub with a raw garlic clove. Sprinkle with shredded gruyere cheese. Broil the whole shebang for 2-3 minutes until your desired crispness is achieved.
Tip: If gruyere is too expensive, Swiss is your next best option.
Divide the soup into bowls or crocks, top with a toast or two, and dust with some fresh oregano or thyme and cracked black pepper.
Leftovers? Soup will keep up to 5 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool the soup completely, portion into freezer-friendly containers or ziptop bags, and lay in the freezer. To reheat, dump your portion into a saucepot and heat, covered, over a medium setting until thawed and warmed through.
Serving suggestions? Sheetpan Maple Dijon Salmon is a light protein that pairs well with the heavy soup. A nice salad, like my Honeycrisp Apple Brie and Candied Walnut Salad, and a glass of cabernet, round out the meal beautifully.
ENJOY!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Cozy soups for dozy days:
Homestyle Pesto Chickpea Noodle Soup
Creamy Lemon Pesto Chickpea Orzo Soup
french onion mushroom soup
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups mixed mushrooms (I used beech), sliced if large
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 bay leaves
- 6-8 cups beef broth, vegetarian or regular
- 1 loaf sourdough or baguette, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- fresh thyme/oregano, for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the onions and mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp each to start).
- Cook the onions and mushrooms, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, for 45-60 minutes. Monitor the heat very closely. If the goodies start to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low. The onions will take a long time to caramelize!
- Once the onions are deeply golden and jammy in texture, stir in the flour. Pour in the sherry vinegar and Worcestershire, stir, then add the broth. Bring to a simmer and toss in the bay leaves. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the soup thickens slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Towards the end of the soup's cooking time, heat your broiler. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Brush with a small amount of butter (about 1 tablespoon divided between all the slices) and rub with the garlic clove. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes until bubbly, melty, and golden around the edges.
- Divide the soup into bowls or crocks and top with 1-2 cheese bread slices. Garnish with fresh thyme or oregano and a pinch of freshly cracked pepper.
