Happy New Year everyone! Can you believe it’s Jan. 4, 2016 already? Talk. About. Craziness!
I hope you guys like soup! Because this week you’ve got two new recipes coming your way and it starts with this recipe for French Onion Soup! Now that winter weather has finally arrived and it’s freeeeezing outside, there’s never been a better time for comforting and nourishing meals.
Thanks to my second cold of the season and the need to be on a soft foods diet for my degenerated jaws, soup is the only thing I’ve been craving lately. So when Canyon Bakehouse asked me to develop a French Onion Soup recipe using their gluten-free focaccia bread, I jumped at the chance to finally make one of my favorite dishes at home.
You want to know something crazy? Maybe even borderline insane? This was the first time I ever made French Onion Soup at home. I don’t know why but French Onion Soup has always been one of those things reserved for holiday family gatherings or eating out. It’s something I always look forward to ordering, along with shrimp cocktail and wine at a French restaurant. It’s a special treat. And yet I don’t know why I never made it at home until now.
Making French Onion Soup can feel like a long, drawn-out process, but believe me it is worth the wait and also easy to make. All you need is a little thyme (see what I did there?) and patience. Anything cheesy, savory and soul-satisfying is worth waiting for — especially this French Onion Soup. After an hour of cooking you’ll have a delicately rich soup with silky onions, hearty focaccia and gooey cheese.
Serving tip: Pour whatever wine you don’t use for cooking into wine glasses and serve with the soup. It really takes the dish to another level!
This is a sponsored post, written by me, and created in partnership with Canyon Bakehouse. All opinions expressed are straight from the heart.
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon gluten free flour
- ½ cup red wine
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 loaf Canyon Bakehouse Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia bread, cut into 1” cubes
- 4 ounces shredded cheese (I used GO VEGGIE, but Swiss or Gruyère would also be great!)
- Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, garlic, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions have softened and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.
- While onions are cooking, preheat oven to 350˚ F. Place focaccia cubes on a baking tray and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs and stir flour in with onions. Turn heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Pour in beef broth, bring to a simmer again and cook for 10 minutes.
- To serve, preheat oven broiler. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with cubed focaccia and sprinkle with equal parts cheese. Broil until cheese is bubble and golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.