Description

Cozy up with this hearty and deeply flavorful French Onion Short Rib Soup with Cheesy Gruyère Toast—no wine needed! This comforting classic features slow-cooked caramelized onions, fall-apart tender beef short ribs, and golden, bubbly Gruyère cheese on top of crusty toast. It’s a soul-warming bowl perfect for easy dinner nights, weekend food ideas, or when you’re in need of a healthy, satisfying meal. Whether you’re after a quick breakfast-to-dinner transition or looking for new dinner ideas, this easy recipe is packed with flavor and joy.

Ingredients

3 pounds beef short ribs (bone-in)

5 large yellow onions, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium carrots, diced

8 cups beef broth

4 sprigs thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded

1 baguette, sliced

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

2. In the same pot, add sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Lower heat and caramelize for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add garlic and carrots. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

4. Return short ribs to the pot. Pour in beef broth and add thyme and bay leaves.

5. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 2.5 to 3 hours, until meat is tender.

6. Remove ribs. Discard bones and excess fat, then shred meat and return it to the soup.

7. Preheat the broiler. Toast baguette slices. Top with Gruyère and broil until melted.

8. Serve soup hot with cheesy toast on top. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.

Notes

For deeper flavor, let the soup sit overnight and reheat the next day.

Toast and top bread just before serving to avoid sogginess.

Substitute chuck roast if short ribs are unavailable, but adjust cooking time as needed.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop + Broil
Cuisine: French-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (with 1 toast slice)
Calories: 650
Sugar: 8g
Sodium: 860mg
Fat: 42g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Unsaturated Fat: 23g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 38g
Cholesterol: 110mg

Keywords: French onion soup, short rib soup, no wine onion soup, cheesy toast soup, winter comfort food