Ingredients
1 Yellow Onion sliced or diced
1 tbs Dried Thyme
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
2 packages of Lipton French Onion Soup mix (dry, package, not boxes!)
1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
2 containers of beef stock
4 slices of Swiss cheese
4 slices of provolone cheese
1 small French or sourdough baguette – slice into ½ inch thick slices, at least 4 or enough to float on the top of the soup and cover most of it in whatever bowl you are serving it in.
Salt and pepper to taste
**Oven safe bowls required**
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F
In a large pot on medium-low heat, add the oil and butter, and sauté the onions until soft and slightly browned. (I don’t caramelize mine all the way, so this takes only about 10 mins or less)
Add the Thyme, soup mixes, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While soup is heating, toast the bread slices slightly in your oven or in a toaster.
Remove the soup from the stove top once heated and add to the oven safe serving bowls.
Place the toasted bread on top the soup in each bowl to allow the cheese to float on top. Depending on your bowl size and baguette size you may need to use more than one slice per bowl.
Place a slice of provolone and Swiss on top of each bowl.
Place the bowls in the preheated oven for approx.. 5 mins to allow the cheese to melt and start to turn golden brown.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Options:
Use any combination of cheeses you like. Often Gruyere and Havarti are good choices. I have also made it with shredded cheeses, Parmesan and mozzarella and cheddar jack depending on what was in my fridge. Just try to make it a melty cheese. In addition, you can add other herbs or even some chopped garlic to taste if you like.
The Story:
I love French onion soup. I don’t love the rye bread that goes in it, and I don’t like mushy onions. So, I tried to take all the things I enjoy from French onion soup and put them together in a way I would prefer them. I love having it with a side salad with vinaigrette to cut the richness.