French Onion Soup with Brûléed Blue Cheese.
If you do one thing this week, make some blue cheese french onion soup!
2020 is wacky, especially since this is the second recipe for french onion soup that I’m sharing in one year. YES. I couldn’t help it.
I originally shared this lover’s french onion soup back in February, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Before the world imploded!
It’s incredible. It’s a classic version that is dreamy and cheesy and oh-so comforting.
Then.
Then I saw a recipe for french onion soup with blue cheese. Ummmm. What?
My life was forever changed. I love blue cheese SO MUCH.
The thought of melty, bubbly blue cheese on top of french onion soup was something I could not erase from my brain. It sounded absolutely incredibly and such an upgrade from the original.
So I made it. A bunch.
We ate it like crazy.
And here we are! I’m showing you how to make it because it’s a hug in a bowl. A big bowl of heaven that has to happen in your life. Yes, it’s a treat to make any time of year, but especially delicious right now for this chilly holiday season. If you’re looking for a special meal to make to take the sting off of this weird and lonely holiday season, I’ve the ticket.
French onion soup with blue cheese! It will comfort you and make you the happiest person EVER.
So in my traditional french onion soup recipe, I like to deglaze the caramelized onions with bourbon. In this recipe, I use red wine.
My preference is pinot noir, but you could use your favorite red. I love the flavor that the red wine adds to the onions as it cooks down – and it complements the blue cheese so well.
P.S. I’m a little bit of a red wine + blue cheese combo fanatic. Remember when I make these blue cheese biscuits with pinot noir butter?!
Anyway! The base of the french onion soup is still a classic – it’s the topping that takes it up a notch! I like to make crouton-y baguette slices that fit right in your bowl. Once those are toasted, pile a bunch of blue cheese or gorgonzola and broil the heck out of your bowls.
OH YES.
This is seriously one of my dream meals. Caramely, savory french onion soup. Toasty bread. Melty, bubbly blue cheese. Does not get any better than this!
Blue Cheese French Onion Soup
French Onion Soup with Brûléed Blue Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 large sweet onions, (about 2lbs worth), sliced
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons red wine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup dry sherry
- 6 cups beef stock
- 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
- 1 baguette, cut into slices
- 8 ounces blue cheese or gorgonzola, sliced or crumbled
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over low heat and add the butter. Once melted, stir in the onions, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened and are starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Stir in the red wine. Cook, stirring often again, for another 20 to 30 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and golden in color. Stir in the garlic.
- Stir in the dry sherry and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the beef stock and fresh thyme sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the broth has reduced and thickened a bit.
- While the soup is simmering, make your baguette slices. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the slices on a baking sheet. Brush the bread with olive oil. Place in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
- To serve the soup, ladle spoonfuls of the soup into oven-safe ramekins or crocks. Place them on a baking sheet. Add a sprinkle of blue cheese on top, then a baguette slice. Pile more blue cheese on top. Repeat with remaining crocks. If you have leftover baguettes and blue cheese, I like to top the bread with the blue cheese and place them on a baking sheet too. These are great for extra dippers.
- Turn the broiler on your oven to high with a rack in the center of the oven.
- Stick the baking sheet in the oven. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Be sure to keep an eye on them so the bread doesn’t burn! Garnish with extra thyme if you wish. And serve!
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Dooooo it.
7 Comments on “French Onion Soup with Brûléed Blue Cheese.”
Could I sub balsamic for the wine?
I forgot to add- can I sub balsamic for the sherry also?
This looks absolutely sinful but delicious. I adore blue cheese. Will try sometime in the future.
This looks delicious! I love your recipes and I look forward to making it. For your love of blue cheese, you should check out “Beach “Bread”. It’s an appetizer made popular by oceanfront restaurants on the southwest gulf coast ofFlorida. :)
This was delicious! In place of sherry, I used part apple cider vinegar and part brandy. Great depth of flavor!
What do you recommend for vegetarians? Will veggie stock work ok?
I’ve never had french onion before (I don’t eat beef), but made this with a fresh slow cooker chicken stock and it was very tasty and this recipe was easy to follow!