FRENCH ONION SOUP…ELEVATED
There’s something about French onion soup that feels like a warm embrace on a chilly day, but this version takes comfort to a whole new level. Imagine tender chunks of beef simmered until melt-in-your-mouth tender, surrounded by golden caramelized onions, a rich beef broth, and a blanket of bubbling Gruyère cheese. Then pair that with a buttery croissant grilled cheese filled with even more beef and onions. It’s cozy, hearty, and indulgent in all the right ways.
Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe
- Two comfort classics in one – A rich French onion beef soup paired with a golden, buttery grilled cheese.
- Restaurant-quality flavor at home – Slow-cooked beef and caramelized onions create a deep, savory flavor that feels luxurious.
- Perfect for cold days – Warm, melty, and soul-soothing.
- Customizable and crowd-pleasing – You can make the soup ahead, then build the grilled cheese fresh when serving.
Ingredients
French Onion Beef Soup
Chuck roast, cut into 1–2 inch pieces
Large onions, sliced
Beef broth
Gruyère cheese, shredded
White wine
Unsalted butter
Flour
Garlic, paste or minced
Worcestershire sauce
Dark brown sugar
Thyme sprigs
Bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil, for cooking
French Onion Beef Grilled Cheese
Croissant loaf slices
Gruyère cheese, shredded
Reserved shredded beef (from soup)
Reserved caramelized onions (from soup)
Unsalted butter, for cooking
Garnish
Chopped thyme
How to Make It
Step 1: Sear the Beef
Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, sear it on all sides until golden brown. Remove from the pot and lower the heat to medium-low.
Step 2: Caramelize the Onions
Add sliced onions, butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and dark brown sugar to the same pot. Stir continuously for about 10–15 minutes until golden and caramelized. Stir often to prevent burning. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Reserve 1/2 cup of onions for the grilled cheese.
Step 3: Build the Base
Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir to coat. Deglaze with white wine and Worcestershire sauce, cooking for 2–3 minutes to develop depth. Return the seared beef to the pot and add enough beef broth to cover.
Step 4: Simmer Until Tender
Add thyme and bay leaves, cover, and simmer on low heat for 1–2 hours until the beef is fork-tender. Once done, reserve 1/2 cup of beef for the grilled cheese. Shred and set aside. Let the soup continue to simmer gently.
Step 5: Make the Grilled Cheese
Layer Gruyère cheese, caramelized onions, and shredded beef between slices of croissant loaf. Butter a pan and toast each sandwich over medium-low heat until golden brown and melty inside.
Step 6: Broil the Soup
Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls and top with shredded Gruyère. Broil until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling.
Step 7: Serve and Enjoy
Garnish with thyme and serve immediately with the croissant grilled cheese for dipping. Every bite is rich, cheesy, and comforting.
Storage and Reheating
To Store:
Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the grilled cheese separate for best texture.
To Reheat:
Warm the soup on the stovetop over low heat until hot. Reheat the grilled cheese in a skillet or air fryer until crispy again.
French Onion Beef Soup and Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
French Onion Beef Soup
- 2 lbs chuck roast cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 5-6 large onions sliced
- 4-5 cups beef broth
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese shredded
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp garlic paste or minced
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper plus more to taste
- Olive oil for cooking
French Onion Beef Grilled Cheese
- 8 slices croissant loaf
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup shredded beef reserved from soup
- 1/2 cup caramelized onions reserved from soup
- Unsalted butter for cooking
Garnish
- Thyme chopped
Instructions
French Onion Beef Soup
- Season beef with salt and pepper.
- To a dutch oven over medium heat, sear the seasoned beef on all sides for about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Once seared, remove from pot and lower heat to medium low.
- Add the sliced onions to the same pot with butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and dark brown sugar.
- Continuously stir until the onions caramelize. This will take anywhere from 10-15 mins.
- Stay close and keep stirring to prevent the onions from burning.
- Once caramelized, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the caramelized onions for the grilled cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining onions in the pan with flour and stir to allow the flour to be absorbed.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Return the seared beef to the pot and add enough beef broth to cover.
- Add thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 1-2 hours. Or until the beef is fall apart tender.
- Once cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the tender beef. Shred and set aside.
- Leave the soup to simmer on low heat until you’re ready to serve.
French Onion Beef Grilled Cheese
- Layer Gruyère cheese with the reserved caramelized onions and shredded beef between two slices of croissant loaf.
- To a pan over medium low heat, add some butter and toast each sandwich on both sides until golden brown and the filling is melted and gooey. Once cooked, serve immediately.
Assemble
- To baking safe dishes, add a few ladles full of the soup. Top with shredded
- Gruyère cheese. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Once ready to serve, top with thyme and enjoy with the toasted grilled cheese. Enjoy!
