Just when I thought I was never able to eat French Onion Soup (because what is French Onion Soup without the bread and cheesy topping, right?)…
This was not only delicious, but EASY and made for amazing leftovers.
I’m going to start with the recipe for the soup and then follow with 3 options for toppings. You will need your slow cooker OR a large soup pot that you can cook on low on the stove top. And it takes about 4 hours to cook so either do this the morning of or the night before.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5-6 large onions sliced / chopped
- 8 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp thyme (plus a little extra for garnish)
- 1 tbsp coconut palm sugar
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 carton (4 cups) of organic beef stock
Now… You can totally eat the soup “as is” with no topping and enjoy just a super flavourful chunky onion soup. But if you want to include CHEESE on top then you’ll also need:
- a handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese
- If you saw my post re: “Whats the beef with dairy?” then you’ll know that certain high fat cheeses, including parmesan, are totally ok to eat on an anti-inflammatory diet because it doesn’t contain casein A1 (the protein that causes an inflammatory response found in many dairy products)
- provolone and gruyere are also potential options for this soup (for those without a diary intolerance) as they have a very low percentage of casein
And if you also want to include BREAD on top of your soup, you have two grain-free options:
- You can make grain free naan bread – click on the link and see Option #3. OR!
- You can buy Simple Mills Artisan Bread Mix (see pic below) – I recommend this option just for the texture and flavour that will compliment the soup nicely, plus it’s SO easy to make! Its as simple as the ol’ Betty Crocker cake mixes only with super healthy and compliant ingredients, and totally grain free! I’ve included the direct link to Simple Mills website (click on pink highlight above) but you can find Simple Mills products on Amazon as well as at Whole Foods.
DIRECTIONS:
As I’ve learned, this soup can’t be rushed. The onions NEED to be carmelized and then cooked for another 4 hours in the slow cooker (or 2 hours on the stove top) to develop that rich flavour.
Step 1: Carmelize the onions
** if you plan on using your pressure cooker to slow cook the soup, set your pressure cooker to sauté mode first to caramalize the onions (you may have to manually adjust the temperature to 220 degrees)
** if you have a simple slow cooker, turn it to sear / sauté mode
** if you’re using the stove top, turn to med heat
- add and heat 2 tbsp of ghee plus 1 tbsp of olive oil
- add all the chopped onion plus a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat
- allow to cook for a good 30 minutes, stirring often until the onions are golden and soft
- right near the end, add the minced garlic and allow to sauté with the onions another few minutes
Step 2: Make the soup
- once the onions are soft and caramelized, add all remaining ingredients including salt, pepper, thyme, coconut sugar, wine and broth
- for pressure cookers: turn your pressure cooker to slow cooker mode and cook for 4 hours
- for slow cookers: turn to high for 4 hours
- for stove top: bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and allow to cook, covered, for 2 hours, stirring every once in a while
TOPPINGS:
Option 1: No bread, no cheese. Eat the chunky onion soup as is. Add salt and pepper to taste, as well as any extra sprinklings of thyme. Enjoy. We ate it this way for leftovers and were licking our bowls. Literally.
Option 2: Cheese, no bread. After dishing each bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, as well as any additional sprinklings of thyme and then sprinkle a small handful of fresh grated cheese of choice (parmesan, gruyere or provolone) on top.
Option 3: Cheese AND bread. While the soup was cooking, hopefully you made either the grain free naan bread mentioned above OR you bought a box of Simple Mills Artisan Bread Mix. If you did the latter, the instructions suggest to make 2 flatbreads – I would suggest to make 6 smaller flatbreads on your baking sheet (as they fit perfectly on top of the soup in a soup bowl that way). I would also add some extra seasonings to the bread/dough that you have on hand for extra flavour including pepper, garlic salt/powder and oregano or thyme. A few minutes before your bread is done baking, remove from the oven and sprinkle with your choice or mix of cheese. Put back in the oven for the last minute or so of cooking to allow the cheese to melt. Place each flatbread with melted cheese on top of each bowl of soup…and devour.
And remember, I am here to help! Would love to know if you make this. Don’t hesitate to email me with any questions or shoot me a message or comment on Instagram @karliskitch.
Cheers!
Karli