Here’s a rich, comforting Short Rib French Onion Soup 🥣
It’s a hearty upgrade to the classic, with deep beefy flavor and sweet caramelized onions.
🥩🧅 Short Rib French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 2–2½ lbs beef short ribs (bone-in preferred)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup beef broth (for deglazing)
- 6 cups beef broth (low sodium works best)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf
For serving (optional but classic):
- Sliced baguette
- Gruyère or Swiss cheese, shredded
Instructions
1. Brown the short ribs
- Pat short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown short ribs on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side).
- Remove and set aside.
2. Caramelize the onions
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium.
- Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt.
- Cook slowly, stirring often, for 30–40 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
3. Build the soup
- Deglaze the pot with ½ cup beef broth, scraping up browned bits.
- Add remaining beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, and the short ribs.
- Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook on low for 2–2½ hours, until ribs are very tender.
4. Finish the soup
- Remove short ribs; shred the meat and discard bones and excess fat.
- Return meat to the pot.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
5. Optional cheesy topping
- Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls.
- Top with toasted baguette slices and shredded cheese.
- Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly (ask an adult for help).
Tips & Variations
- Faster option: Use a pressure cooker (about 45 minutes on high).
- Extra depth: Add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end.
- No broiler: Serve with cheesy toast on the side.
- Make-ahead: Tastes even better the next day.
If you want a slow cooker version, no-cheese serving idea, or simpler weeknight version, just tell me!
