I made this veg onion soup on a day we were eating meat (the weekend) but i wanted something really cozy and warm for winter. I also had A LOT of supplies left over from Thanksgiving - this is a great recipe for using up onions, any kind of stock you have, stale bread, and any hard/sharp cheese you have; swiss, gruyere, cheddar, etc., plus it’s super cheap. I had a surplus of all of these and didn’t want to waste. Make sure you take the time recommended to let the onions cook, it’ll be worth it. You can also save this soup and reheat with the bread and cheese later. Obviously for our vegan friends, use veg broth and a soy cheese, or no cheese at all. Here we go (adapted from Jamie Oliver’s ‘Jamie at Home’):

Serves 8 (I adjusted for 4 servings, and still had more than could fit in 4 baking soup bowls)

1 Tablespoon butter

handful of fresh sage

6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (I sent mine through my garlic press)

5 red onions, peeled and sliced

3 large white onions, peeled and sliced

3 banana shallots (or regular) peeled and sliced

11 oz leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced (I only bought 1 big leek - plenty)

2 quarts HOT low sodium stock: veg, chicken, beef, whatever you have.

8 slices stale bread

7 oz fresh grated cheddar cheese

Worcestershire sauce

1. Put butter, 2 glugs of olive oil, sage and garlic into a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Stir everything around and add the onions, shallots, and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan, leaving slightly ajar and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without coloring the veggies. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. When the onions are silky and soft, add the HOT stock. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You can skim off any fat from the top - or not!

3. Preheat oven or broiler to 500F. Toast your stale bread on both sides - try not to burn it! Correct the seasoning of the soup. Ladle your soup into your oven proof bowls. Tear the toasted bread to fit in each bowl. Feel free to dunk the bread a little bit. Sprinkle with grated cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce. Place bowls on baking sheet.

4. Melt the cheese until brown and bubbling - try not to burn it. Bon Appetit!

This is great for a fast lunch if you make the broth ahead of time. This recipe makes 8 servings, so I made all the broth and put the rest in the fridge. Make sure you heat up the broth before you pop it in the oven to let the cheesy goodness melt. I used a super easy classic recipe from The Joy of Cooking. I’ll write it below. This is the perfect cozy fall meal, and this tastes just as good as the $13 soup from Pastis!

Makes about 8 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 medium onions, thinly sliced

Pinch of dried thyme

2 tablespoons dry sherry or cognac

3 1/2 cups (almost one carton) unsalted or low-salt beef broth, or veg broth for a veggie dish - but the beef is classic, and tastes better.

1-3 slices per person of toasted bread - I used a baguette

Gruyére for the top - however much you want!

1. Heat in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and butter and cook until the butter is melted. Add the onions and thyme and stir to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and making sure the onions don’t scorch. As soon as they start to brown, about 15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, covered, stirring, until they are a rich brown, about 30-40 minutes.

2. Stir in Cognac or sherry (I have a bottle of sherry on hand for cooking). Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sherry has evaporated. Stir in beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place your ovenproof soup bowls or crocks ona baking sheet. Ladle the hot soup into the bowls and top each with your toasted bread. Sprinkle each bowl with Gruyére or Swiss. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and brown. Call Pasits and cancel your reservation because you just made the best French Soup at home.

Price Breakdown:

Bag of Onions - $.99

Organic Beef Broth - $2.29

Fresh Baguette - $1.49

Gruyére ( I used about 1/4 of it so far) - $4.99