An indulgent take on my mom’s “cold-weather classic,” this is an ultimate cool-weather comfort food that is perfect when the craving for something sweet and salty kicks in—whether or not you’ve eaten an edible first!
Makes
4 servingsIngredients
Onion soup:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 sweet onions halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
Grilled cheese croutons:
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 loaf baguette sliced in 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- For the onion soup, melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, cooking until translucent. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme leaves. Cook until sugar dissolves and onions begin to deepen in color and caramelize, about 15 minutes. Deglaze your stock pot with white wine, and add beef broth. Simmer for at least 1 hour, on low.
- While the soup is simmering, prepare your grilled cheese croutons. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Prepare garlic butter by melting your stick of unsalted butter. Add garlic and onion powders, and fresh thyme leaves. Mix until combined. Brush melted garlic butter on one side of sliced baguette. Top with shredded Gruyère, and top with an additional piece of garlic butter-brushed baguette. Place on the frying pan and brown the bread on both sides, about 3 minutes each side. Repeat until you have 4 assembled sandwiches. Cool slightly before cutting into quarters. Set aside.
- To finish the soup, preheat the oven to 400°. Once the soup has finished simmering, season with salt and pepper. Portion out the soup into your favorite oven-safe bowls, about 3/4 full. Top each bowl with 4 grilled cheese croutons and a heavy sprinkle of shredded Gruyère. Bake at 400° until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the oven, top with a sprig of thyme, and serve warm.
