French Onion Beef Soup
French Onion Beef Stew is a hearty, flavorful twist on classic French onion soup, with tender beef, caramelized onions, and a rich savory broth. It's perfect for an easy, comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 head garlic, peeled and cloves removed
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons french onion seasoning, click link for recipe
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound baby potatoes, or cubed red potatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Optional toppings
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, or Swiss cheese
- ½ loaf french bread, sliced
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Thinly slice the onions using a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Add the onions and garlic cloves to an oven-safe cast iron dutch oven. Pour 4 tablespoons olive oil over the onions, sprinkle with the salt, then toss to coat.
- Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and turn the heat on the oven down to 350°F.
- Remove the onions and garlic from the dutch oven and place them on a rimmed plate or a cutting board with grooves, as liquid will come out of the onions and garlic.
- Place the dutch oven on the stove over high heat.
- Toss the cubed beef with the french onion seasoning.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the dutch oven. Once the oil is hot, add the chuck roast and sear the pieces for about 4-6 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from the pot and set it aside with the onions and garlic.
- Pour ¼ cup beef stock into the pot and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot and scrape up any browned bits.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over everything in the pot, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining 7 ¾ cups beef stock and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Stir to combine everything, turn the heat on the stove up to high, and bring the stock to a boil.
- Add the seared pieces of beef back to the pot, along with the onions and garlic. Add the potatoes, fresh thyme, and bay leaves.
- Cover the pot with a lid, or tightly with a piece of aluminum foil, and transfer it to the oven for 2 hours.
- Remove the soup from the oven and use tongs to remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Optional way to serve the soup
- Heat the oven to broil on high and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Slice a half loaf of french bread, then place the slices on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray, or brush with melted butter. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove the bread from the oven.
- Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls and top each bowl with a slice of toast and shredded gruyere cheese. Place on a baking sheet and under the broiler in the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Notes
- You can make this recipe ahead of time. After cooking the beef stew for 2 hours at 350°F, simply turn the oven to warm and leave the stew, covered in the oven, for up to 2 hours. You can also transfer it to a slow cooker set to warm.
- You can cook the beef stew on the stove, instead of the oven, if you prefer. Simply cover the pot, set the stovetop temperature to medium-low heat and allow the stew to simmer for 2 hours on the stove.
- To make this recipe gluten free, use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the broth. Cornstarch is a stronger thickening agent than flour, so you’ll only need 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- If you would like to add another layer of flavor to this french onion beef stew, you can replace one cup of the beef broth with dry red wine, like a cabernet sauvignon.
- Store leftover beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat the stew, add it to a pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer, then stir the stew occasionally for 5-7 minutes on the stovetop. You can also reheat one portion of the stew in a microwave-safe bowl, covered in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
- You can also store prepared beef stew in the freezer for up to 6 months. You’ll want to let the stew cool down to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-safe storage container. Freeze the stew for up to 6 months. To defrost, I recommend transferring the stew from the freezer to the refrigerator for 24 hours. You can then reheat the stew in a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 773kcal (39%)Carbohydrates 56g (19%)Protein 50g (100%)Fat 40g (62%)Saturated Fat 14g (70%)Polyunsaturated Fat 4gMonounsaturated Fat 22gTrans Fat 1gCholesterol 129mg (43%)Sodium 1587mg (66%)Potassium 1771mg (51%)Fiber 5g (20%)Sugar 11g (12%)Vitamin A 291mg (6%)Vitamin C 29mg (35%)Calcium 365mg (37%)Iron 8mg (44%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!