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French Onion Short Rib Soup & Gruyère Toast

A warm, comforting bowl of rich short rib soup topped with melted Gruyère cheese on toasted bread, perfect for chilly nights.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: French
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Soup
  • 2 lbs short ribs Cut into pieces
  • 4 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups beef stock Bone broth can be used for more flavor
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons thyme Fresh or dried
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Gruyère Toast
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 4 slices crusty bread French baguette or ciabatta works well

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until nicely browned (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove them from the pot and set aside.
Cooking the Soup
  1. In the same pot, add butter and sliced onions. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and golden brown (about 20-25 minutes).
  2. Add minced garlic and thyme, cooking for another minute.
  3. Return the short ribs to the pot and pour in beef stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for about 2 to 2.5 hours until short ribs are tender.
Preparing the Toast
  1. While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to broil. Place sliced bread on a baking sheet and top each slice with Gruyère cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Serving
  1. Once the short ribs are tender, remove from pot, shred the meat, discarding any bones, and return to the soup.
  2. Serve hot, topped with Gruyère toast.

Notes

Using bone broth instead of beef stock can enhance flavor. Let the soup sit for an hour after cooking for better taste. If Gruyère cheese is unavailable, a blend of Swiss and mozzarella can be used.