Beefy French Onion Soup

Name: Beefy French Onion Soup with Gruyère
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h 45 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter, divided; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 lbs chuck roast, cut into large cubes; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp roasted garlic base; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 5 cups beef bone broth, divided; 1 bunch fresh thyme; 1 cup croutons, for serving; 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, for topping; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

This Beefy French Onion Soup adds tender, shredded chuck roast to the classic French bistro dish, enriching it with deep, savory beef flavor while maintaining the signature caramelized onions and broiled Gruyère crust.

🌍French 🏷️French onion soup 🏷️Beef soup 🏷️Chuck roast 🏷️Comfort food Winter recipe

🏷️

🏷️Cheesy

-0:00

jackiehartlaubonTikTok

Total

4h

Servings

2

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$25–$41

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by jackiehartlaub

-0:00

jackiehartlaubonTikTok

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs chuck roast, cut into large cubes
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp roasted garlic base
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
5 cups beef bone broth, divided
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 cup croutons, for serving
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, for topping
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnishoptional

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Instructions

1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with olive oil over medium-high heat.
2
Season the chuck roast cubes with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides until well-browned. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
3
Add the sliced onions to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply caramelized, which can take up to 45 minutes.
4
Stir in the roasted garlic base until combined with the onions.
5
Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the Worcestershire sauce.
6
Pour in about 4 cups of the beef bone broth and add the bundle of fresh thyme.
7
Bring the soup to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 3 hours, or until the chuck roast is fall-apart tender.
8
Remove the beef from the pot and shred it finely with two forks. Discard the thyme bundle.
9
Return the shredded beef to the soup. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
10
If the soup is too thick, thin it out with the remaining 1 cup of beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
11
Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls.
12
Top each bowl with croutons and a generous amount of shredded Gruyère cheese.
13
Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned.
14
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Don't rush caramelizing the onions—medium heat and frequent stirring build complexity; high heat browns them unevenly.
Cut chuck roast into large cubes before searing so they brown properly and stay tender during the simmer.
Toast your croutons separately or brush them lightly with oil before broiling to prevent them from absorbing too much soup liquid and becoming soggy.
Add Gruyère in a thick layer before broiling and watch closely—it melts and browns in 2–3 minutes under the broiler.

Substitutions

chuck roast → beef chuck steak or beef short ribs (adjust simmering time if using tougher cuts)
Gruyère → Swiss cheese or Comté (maintains melting quality and similar flavor depth)
beef bone broth → beef stock or beef broth (reduces body slightly but still effective)
fresh thyme → dried thyme, 1 tsp (or add a bay leaf for additional depth)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze the broth and beef separately up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, then add fresh croutons and broil with Gruyère before serving.