French Onion Soup Casserole
Why would you make plain old French onion soup when you can make French Onion Soup Casserole? This casserole recipe has all of the best components of traditional French onion soup, but the way it's made changes it into something completely new! Because it's baked in a casserole dish, the bread really soaks up the soup and becomes extremely flavorful. The cheese melts and browns in a perfect layer on top. Best of all, making the soup in a casserole dish makes it so much faster and easier than preparing individual servings.
Serves6 people
Preparation Time10 min
Cooking Time1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet onions, sliced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Approximately 6-8 slices French bread, about 1/2-inch in thickness
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add onions and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add the beef broth and the Worcestershire sauce. Heat the broth mixture until it boils.
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Reduce heat to low. All to simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. The broth will reduce.
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Pour onion and broth mixture into a greased casserole dish.
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Lightly toast the slices of bread. Place toasted bread in a single layer on top of onion/broth mixture.
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Cover bread with a thick layer of the shredded mozzarella and top with grated Parmesan.
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Place dish under the broiler, watching carefully. Broil until the cheese melts and begins to brown and bubble.
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Let cool for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Before the French Onion Soup Casserole, There Was Simply a Soup:
Legend has it that the first French Onion Soup was actually created by King Louis the XV of France when all that could be found in the pantry of his hunting party’s lodge was butter, onions, and champagne. While the story cannot be confirmed or denied as myth of fact, it is an interesting bit of lore.
Onions have been a choice staple in meal preparation from as far back Roman Times. This is likely because they are able to easily grow in most soils, they are cheap to buy and abundantly available, not to mention, they long have a high shelf-life. For this reason onions were seen as a poor man's food.
The modern-day version of the French Onion Soup has evolved from a much more basic recipe in which onions were sliced, fried and cooked in water. The soup would then be served with bread and capers. It was only in the 19th century that cooks started adding flour, salt, and pepper and topped the soup with cheeses such as Gruyere.
If you've ever had this classic recipe, you're likely familiar with the present day version. It is most commonly made with caramelized onion in a beef-based broth. This is often served in individual ramekins and topped with Gruyere cheese, which is baked on top.