Eat Well, Spend Less: Seasonal Soups (Recipe: French Onion Soup)

How is it mid October already? Oh, right, first there was our jump into October Unprocessed, then Thanksgiving, and just last weekend, Blissdom Canada in Toronto. The month tends to fly by when one is busy.

Yes, it’s time to bring out the Le Creuset French Oven, hit up the market for those incredibly cheap root vegetables, onions, and late-harvest tomatoes and simmer some soup.

Here is a round-up of a few of my favorite recipes, as well as my family recipe for French Onion Soup with a Canadian twist!

Photo by Shaina

Seasonal, Budget-Friendly Soups

This is just a start of all the beautiful soups that can be made with the bountiful produce that can be found at this time of the year. You’re sure to find a recipe that the whole family will love. A bonus? All of these soups freeze very well, so go ahead and make a double batch.

butternut squash soup recipePhoto by Katie

Recipe: French Onion Soup – Canadian Style

In this version of French Onion Soup, the sweetness of the onions is enhanced slightly by maple syrup and the soup is given an extra Canadian touch with the addition of our own aged cheddar cheese.

French onion soup should not be rushed. Well, the onion chopping part, yes. Use a food processor or blitz through them with a knife as fast as you can while still maintaining five digits on each hand. But once they are in the pot, brew a pot of tea and read a cookbook or food blog while the onions slowly caramelize and take on that dark brown color.

This soup makes a generous batch, but the onion soup base freezes well, making for a delightful Sunday supper sometime in the future. Also, if you’re not pregnant and have an opened bottle of white wine around, this soup benefits from a generous splash or two added with the stock.

French Onion Soup

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Course: Soups & Stews
Prep Time: 6 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 336kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3.5 lbs sweet onions such as Vidalia, thinly sliced, about four large
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 cups chicken or turkey stock I had Thanksgiving leftovers
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 small sprig rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Garnish

  • 8 slices whole wheat baguette toasted and buttered
  • 2 cups shredded aged Canadian cheddar such as Perron (or your favorite melting cheese)

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot set over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until they have completely wilted and start to caramelize.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook onions slowly, stirring occasionally for another 20 minutes.
  • Add garlic to the onions and cook for a minute or so. Stir in maple syrup. Add the broth, water, thyme and rosemary; bring soup to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve:

  • Preheat top broiler in the oven.
  • Divide soup between 6 large or 8 smaller ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Top with toasted baguette slices and cover generously with cheese.
  • Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts and lightly browns. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 992mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 1.9mg

What is your favorite soup to simmer on an autumn day?

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27 Comments

  1. I am totally trying this one. We love French Onion Soup! It’s my youngest child’s favorite, believe it or not

  2. Bookmarked this one. I love French onion soup. I always get it when I have soup out because I don’t know how to make it at home. There’s a bean soup that I like to make come Fall, but really I like to make all of my soups when it’s cold… 🙂

  3. I’ve been on a soup making kick lately. Last week cream of mushroom and what I think I have to call mirapoix soup…carrots, onion and celery. Ok maybe with just a touch of serrano pepper!

    I love French onion soup and have a great recipe I’ve used for years but I’m intrigued by the maple syrup. I just happen to have a bottle of Canadian maple syrup…it seems most appropriate for me to make this soup with it!

  4. French Onion Soup is defintely one of my favorite soups. However, if I’m considering the rest of the family, we like our simple homemade tomato soup (recipe is on my blog). Since we live south, tomato season lasts well into fall, and the flavor of this soup is well worth the extra 10 minutes of preparation compared to the canned version.

  5. Hey! I really like soups but only recently tried onion soup (which it turns out I love) but my family is not big on soup at all. The husband is a “texture” picky eater… and although I’ve gotten him to add many a food to his regular menu (and favorites)… soup is not one of them. Any suggestions for good “starter soups” that won’t scare him away?
    PS. I made the squash/apple soup for thanksgiving and everyone (except the husband – who didn’t try it) loved it.

  6. I love French onion soup! I’ve been so in the mood for soup lately too. I made acorn squash soup the other week and it was amazing. I love fall!

  7. We (well, my husband under my instruction ;))made this soup today, and we absolutely loved it! It was even better that we could have lots of leftovers for freezing. We may go a little easy on maple syrup next time, as ours seemed very sweet!!! Thanks heaps for the recipe!