French Onion Beef Short Rib Soup

Are you looking for a soup that serves as a complete meal, something that genuinely warms you from the soul outwards? On those brisk days when nothing but true comfort food will suffice, we often find ourselves deliberating between two timeless classics: the profound, savoury depth of a beef stew and the sweet, cheesy delight of a French onion soup. What if you didn’t need to make that choice? We are thrilled to show you how to enjoy the finest aspects of both with our ultimate french onion beef short rib soup. This recipe is a true masterpiece of comfort, uniting beef that simply falls apart with a wonderfully sweet and savoury onion broth, all topped with the essential crown of a crusty, cheese-covered crouton. It is, quite simply, a show-stopping meal in a bowl.

Why You’ll Adore This Hearty Beef Soup

We see this as more than just a recipe; it’s a culinary experience. It is the ideal dish for a cosy Sunday supper, a celebratory meal, or any time you feel you deserve a special treat. Here’s why we’re confident you will fall for it:

• Incredible Depth of Flavour: The complexity of flavour is truly remarkable. We caramelise the onions slowly to unlock their natural sweetness, which provides a perfect counterpoint to the rich, beefy broth and succulent meat.
• Fall-Apart Tender Beef: By simmering the beef short ribs slowly, they become exquisitely tender. The meat slips effortlessly from the bone and simply melts in your mouth with each bite.
• The Perfect Cheesy Topping: No French onion soup would be right without its cheesy crouton. We top thick slices of crusty baguette with nutty Gruyère cheese, grilled until it’s golden and bubbling. It’s sheer perfection.
• A Bistro-Quality Meal: Although the method is straightforward, the finished dish has the look and taste of something served in a top-class restaurant. It’s the ideal recipe for impressing your guests or delighting your family.

Essential Ingredients for a Perfect Soup

Assembling the correct ingredients is the first move towards creating a culinary triumph. For this French onion soup with short ribs, focusing on quality is paramount. We’ve outlined the core components to guide you in choosing the very best.

For the Soup

• Beef Short Ribs: You’ll need around 1.5 kg of bone-in, English-style beef short ribs. Seek out pieces with good marbling, as this fat will render down to create a soup with incredible flavour.
• Onions: 1 kg of yellow or Spanish onions, sliced thinly. These types possess the ideal sugar levels for achieving a deep, rich caramelisation.
• Garlic: 4-5 cloves, finely minced.
• Plain Flour: 2 tablespoons, which will help to thicken the broth just a little.
• Dry Red Wine: 250ml (1 cup) of a decent quality dry red, such as a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. It imparts a wonderful layer of complexity.
• Beef Broth: 1.5 litres of a high-quality beef broth or stock. A good stock is vital for creating a rich and flavourful base.
• Herbs: Several sprigs of fresh thyme and 2 bay leaves.
• Butter & Olive Oil: 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, used for searing the meat and caramelising the onions.
• Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to your taste.

For the Cheesy Croutons

• Baguette: 1 crusty baguette, cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) thick slices.
• Cheese: 200g of Gruyère cheese, grated. A combination of Gruyère and Emmental or even a mature cheddar would also work beautifully.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making French Onion Beef Short Rib Soup

Patience is truly a virtue when preparing this soup. Though it requires time, every stage is simple and methodically builds up layers of flavour. Follow our detailed beef short rib soup recipe to ensure a wonderful result.

1. Sear the Short Ribs: First, pat the short ribs completely dry with kitchen paper and season them liberally with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy-based pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Place the short ribs in the pot, ensuring not to overcrowd it (you may need to work in batches). Sear them on all sides until a rich, brown crust develops, which should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Take the ribs out of the pot and set them to one side.
2. Caramelise the Onions: Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the pot. When it has melted, add your thinly sliced onions along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook them slowly, giving them a stir now and then, for 45-60 minutes. The onions need to become a deep golden brown, soft, and sweet. This stage is absolutely vital for the soup’s final flavour, so please don’t rush it!
3. Build the Flavour Base: When the onions are perfectly caramelised, stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until it becomes fragrant. Scatter the flour over the onions and stir it in constantly for about two minutes. This step cooks off the raw flour taste.
4. Deglaze and Simmer: Pour the red wine into the pot to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavourful browned bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the wine to simmer until it has reduced by approximately half. Return the seared short ribs to the pot, including any juices that have pooled on the plate. Pour in the beef broth and add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
5. The Slow Cook: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. As soon as it is simmering, turn the heat down to low, put the lid on, and allow it to cook for at least 2.5 to 3 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when the beef is so tender it falls from the bone.
6. Finish the Soup: Gently lift the short ribs out of the soup. When they are cool enough to touch, shred the meat away from the bones, making sure to discard any large pieces of fat. Put the shredded beef back into the pot. Fish out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Have a taste of the soup and add more salt and pepper if you feel it needs it.
7. Prepare the Cheesy Croutons: As the soup is finishing, preheat your grill to high. Lay the baguette slices on a baking tray and lightly toast them under the grill on each side.
8. Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the piping hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Pop one or two toasted baguette slices atop each serving and sprinkle generously with the grated Gruyère cheese. Place the bowls carefully under the hot grill for 2-4 minutes, or until the cheese is gloriously melted, bubbly, and tinged with brown. Serve straight away and watch the delight on everyone’s faces.

Tips for Culinary Success

We’re keen for your soup to be nothing short of perfect. Here are some additional pointers that we’ve gathered from experience.

Choosing the Right Beef Short Ribs

The star ingredient certainly deserves careful consideration. For the finest results, search for “English-style” short ribs, which are characteristically thick, meaty, individual ribs. Check that they have a good degree of marbling (the small white streaks of fat), as this is what guarantees a tender and flavour-packed result. If you’d like to understand more about different cuts of beef, this guide from Beef & Lamb UK is a superb resource.

The Secret to Perfectly Caramelised Onions

The “low and slow” method is the only way to go. Attempting to speed this up with high heat will only result in burnt onions. You must allow the sugars enough time to break down properly to develop that deep, complex sweetness. A pot with a heavy base will ensure even heat distribution and help prevent any scorching. Stir every 10-15 minutes, and be patient – the delicious reward is well worth the time invested.

Making Ahead and Storage

This soup is an excellent choice for a make-ahead dish. In fact, its flavours often become even richer and more developed overnight. You can follow the recipe up to step 6 and then keep the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you wish to serve it, just reheat it gently on the hob before preparing the cheesy croutons to go under the grill.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We’ve put together answers to some typical questions to assist you on your cooking adventure.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes, of course! This recipe adapts wonderfully to a slow cooker. Complete steps 1-4 on the hob to sear the beef and caramelise the onions. Afterwards, transfer the entire contents to your slow cooker. Let it cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. This method provides a brilliant, hands-off way to make slow cooker beef short rib soup.

What if I don’t have oven-safe bowls?

Not a worry! You can just make the cheesy croutons separately on a baking tray. Simply toast your baguette slices, pile on the cheese, and grill them until melted and bubbling. You can then float these on top of the soup when serving it in your regular bowls.

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Certainly. While Gruyère is the traditional choice, prized for its nutty taste and fantastic melting quality, you can easily swap it for something else. A good mature cheddar, Provolone, or even a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan would be just as tasty.

Is there a non-alcoholic substitute for the red wine?

If you would rather not use wine, you can deglaze the pan with the same volume of extra beef broth. To help mimic some of the acidity and depth, we recommend adding a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar into the broth.

Discover More Hearty Recipes

If you’ve loved creating this luxurious comfort food soup, you are likely a fan of meals that warm the cockles of your heart. We offer a wonderful selection of recipes that are ideal for any day of the week. For another fantastic one-pot wonder, why not have a go at our Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup Recipe The Ultimate Comfort Food? It packs all the flavour of a classic lasagna into a comforting soup bowl. And if you’re in search of another unique and satisfying soup, our Tasty Hearty And Easy Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe Delicious Easy is one you must try.

Conclusion: Your New Favourite Comfort Meal

So there you have it – a recipe for a soup that is unequivocally a meal in its own right. Our French Onion Beef Short Rib Soup is rich, decadent, and profoundly satisfying. It serves as proof of how a handful of simple, high-quality ingredients, when treated with a bit of time and attention, can result in something utterly spectacular. This is more than a simple dish; it’s a hug in a bowl.

We are so excited for you to try this amazing recipe and put your own spin on it. Please let us know how you get on in the comments section below, and do share it with your fellow food enthusiasts. Happy cooking!