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A rich and savory Guinness french onion soup with caramelized onions, Guinness Stout, fresh baguette, and melted Gruyere cheese. It’s a delicious soup option for a cold winter’s night.

Savory Guinness French Onion Soup

I am a sucker for a good french onion soup, simply because I am a total cheese addict. Okay, the soup is actually really good too, but I mean you can’t go wrong with anything loaded with melted cheese, right??

For this Guinness french onion soup, I added in a hint of Guinness Stout to give it a little bit of bitterness. Believe me when I tell you the Guinness is the perfect secret ingredient in this version. Add in a slice or two of a fresh baguette and then layer the top with shredded Gruyere cheese and voila, you have THE perfect french onion soup.

The weather is getting cooler here in the Midwest (finally!), so it’s time to start dreaming of soups and stews to keep you warm this winter. Add this Guinness French onion soup to your list because it does not disappoint. If you’re a total Guinness fan, also try my Guinness beef stew!

Ingredients needed

To make this rich and savory Guinness French onion soup, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (one stick)
• 3 medium-sized yellow onions
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups Guinness Stout
• 1 bay lea
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 4-8 slices French baguette (1-2 per bowl)
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

How to make Guinness French Onion Soup

1. In a large dutch oven, melt 5 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. 
2. Slice all three onions into rings and add to the melted butter. Cook the onions for about 30 minutes or until softened and golden brown (stirring occasionally).
3. Add in flour, stir, and cook for another minute. Then add in salt and pepper, stirring to combine. 
4. Add in broth, Guinness, and bay leaf to the pot. Cook for another 30 minutes.
5. While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. 
6. Slice your baguette into 4-8 thin slices, depending on how many you want per bowl of soup. Lay the bread onto the skillet with the melted butter and toast on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside. 
7. Once the soup is done cooking, remove the bay leaf and spoon the soup into 4 individual-sized soup bowls. Top each with 1-2 slices of the toasted baguette. Then, cover the top of each bowl with shredded cheese until it is completely covered. 
8. Place soup bowls onto the baking sheet and place into the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, watching closely. Once the cheese is browned and bubbling, remove from the oven.
9. Let sit for 2-3 minutes and serve. 

Recipe FAQs and Variations

What kind of onions do you use for French onion soup?

Yellow onions, like in this recipe, give off just the right balance of bitterness to sweetness. You could also use a sweeter onion varietal, like Vidalia, if preferred. If you want a stronger, more bitter onion flavor you could use a red or white onion.

What can I used instead of Gruyere cheese?

If you’re unable to find Gruyere cheese locally, you could swap in Swiss cheese. You could also use Comté cheese, which is a French cheese commonly used in French onion soup.

Is French onion soup healthy?

As always, I encourage my readers to make that decision for themselves after reviewing the nutritional label in the recipe card below. With that being said, while French onion soup is a broth-based soup, and broth-based soups are typically considered healthier than cream-based soups, French onion soup does have the addition of the baguette and melted cheese. This increases the overall calories and fat content.

Recipe variations

• Substitute Swiss cheese for Gruyere, if needed.

Recommended kitchen tools for this recipe

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Enjoy these other soups, stews and chilis!

• Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup – a rich and creamy soup
• Buffalo Chicken Soup – all your favorite buffalo chicken flavors in a spicy soup
• Homemade Chicken Cream of Mushroom Soup – skip the canned soup and make this delicious favorite right at home
• Paleo Chipotle Chicken Chili – perfect for game-day or a cold weeknigh

Guinness French Onion Soup Recipe

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