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🇫🇷 French

French Onion Soup (Modified)

⏱ 75 min

🍞 ~18g (kid-default with low-carb bread option)

🍽 6 servings

⭐ 4/5

Why this recipe is T1D-friendly

• Broth + cheese + onions = relatively low carb if you control the bread
• Caramelized onions ARE sweet (natural sugars released by slow cooking) but spread across the bowl
• Swapping baguette for low-carb bread cuts ~15g per serving without losing the gooey cheese top
• The fat from the cheese + butter slows glucose response significantly

Ingredients

• 4 large yellow onions (about 3 lbs), thinly sliced (~60g total, ~10g per serving)
• 4 tbsp butter (0g)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (0g)
• 1 tsp sugar OR 1/4 tsp baking soda (helps caramelization — sugar contributes ~1g/serving)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine or sherry (~5g total, ~1g per serving)
• 6 cups beef broth (~6g total, ~1g per serving)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (~3g, negligible)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (~3g, negligible)
• 2 bay leaves (0g)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried) (0g)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (~2g, negligible)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (~2g, negligible)
• Salt + black pepper to taste (0g)
• 6 slices low-carb bread (sourdough-style or keto bread, ~3g per slice) for crouton topping (~3g per serving)
• 1.5 cups gruyère cheese, shredded (~2g total, negligible)
• 1/2 cup parmesan, grated (~1g, negligible)

Bread / potato / base options

The bread topping is THE carb variable. Default uses low-carb bread (~3g):

• Low-carb bread (default, ~18g total): Sourdough-style keto bread, ~3g per slice.
• Cheese-only top (~15g total): Skip the bread, pile cheese directly on the soup. Bubbly cheese raft.
• Almond flour crouton (~16g total): Small homemade almond flour toast, ~1g.
• Traditional baguette (+25g = 43g total): One slice of real baguette. Big carb hit — use only with careful insulin timing.

Directions

1. Mise en place — peel and thinly slice onions (this takes a while, get comfortable). Mince garlic. Grate cheese. Measure broth.
2. Caramelize the onions (the only step that matters): In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt butter with olive oil over medium-low heat.
3. Add sliced onions, salt lightly, sprinkle with sugar (or baking soda for less carb). Stir to coat.
4. Cook 40-50 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes, until onions are deeply golden brown and jammy. Don't rush this. If they're browning too fast, lower the heat. This is the soul of the soup.
5. Add minced garlic, cook 30 seconds.
6. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
7. Pour in wine, scraping up the browned bits. Let it bubble down 2-3 minutes.
8. Add beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, Worcestershire, and balsamic. Bring to a simmer, cook 20 minutes uncovered to deepen the flavor.
9. Taste, adjust salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves.
10. Broil the tops: Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into oven-safe crocks or ramekins.
11. Toast slices of low-carb bread lightly. Float one slice on top of each soup bowl.
12. Pile gruyère and parmesan generously on top.
13. Broil 2-4 minutes, watching closely, until cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Serve immediately — careful, very hot.

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