Name: Hearty French Onion Short Rib Soup with Cheesy Gruyère Toast Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 lb short ribs, bone-in; 4 large onions, thinly sliced (yellow or sweet); 6 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred); 1 cup dry red wine; 2 tsp dried thyme (or fresh thyme); 2 bay leaves; 3 tbsp butter; Salt, to taste (start with 1 tsp); Fresh ground pepper, to taste; 1 baguette, sliced; 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated

Description

This Hearty French Onion Short Rib Soup with Cheesy Gruyère Toast is a comforting and elegant dish that combines tender, slow-simmered short ribs with deeply caramelized onions and savory beef broth. Topped with crispy slices of baguette smothered in melted Gruyère cheese, this soup is perfect for warming up on a chilly evening or impressing guests with rich, layered flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Ingredients

2 lb short ribs, bone-in
4 large onions, thinly sliced (yellow or sweet)
6 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
1 cup dry red wine
2 tsp dried thyme (or fresh thyme)
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp butter
Salt, to taste (start with 1 tsp)
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Cheesy Toast Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced
2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated

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Instructions

Prepare the short ribs: Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the ribs and set aside.
Caramelize the onions: In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and add butter. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until they are deeply golden and caramelized, about 40-50 minutes. This step builds the rich base for the soup.
Deglaze the pot: Pour in the cup of dry red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and seasonings: Return the seared short ribs to the pot and add the 6 cups of beef broth, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the soup: Cover the pot partially and let the soup simmer gently for about 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the short ribs are tender and the flavors have deeply melded. Stir occasionally and skim off any excess fat or foam.
Remove ribs and shred meat: Carefully remove the short ribs from the soup. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat off the bones, discarding bones and excess fat. Return shredded meat to the soup. Adjust seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Prepare cheesy Gruyère toast: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle each slice generously with grated Gruyère cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden brown and bubbly, about 8-10 minutes.
Serve the soup: Ladle the finished French onion short rib soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a few slices of cheesy Gruyère toast. Serve immediately and enjoy the rich, hearty flavors.

Notes

For best flavor, use bone-in short ribs and simmer low and slow to extract richness.
Caramelizing onions thoroughly is key to the soup’s signature sweetness and depth.
Use dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot for deglazing to enhance flavors.
Gruyère cheese melts beautifully but can be substituted with Swiss or Emmental if needed.
Removing excess fat from the soup before serving helps balance richness.