Recipe: Flu-Fighting Onion Soup
Easy, elegant and richly fragrant, this onion soup recipe is loaded with flu-fighting quercetin.
Serves four.
4 large onions, thinly sliced
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. reduced-sodium, low-fat beef broth
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ c. dry white wine (optional)
4 slices of French bread, toasted
2 oz. Swiss Gruyere cheese, grated or sliced
- Peel the onions, cut in half length-wise, and thinly slice.
- In a large saucepan or soup pot, over a medium flame, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, reduced and brown, but not burnt.
- Add the garlic and sauté about one minute.
- Add the beef broth, wine (if using), bay leaf and thyme. Cover partially and simmer about 30 minutes. Season to taste with pepper, and salt, if needed.
- Ladle soup into individual oven-proof soup bowls. To each, add a slice of toasted French bread and a slice of cheese.
- Put under the broiler until cheese bubbles and is slightly brown. Serve immediately.
NOTE: Red onions work fine in this recipe, and contain more quercetin than yellow onions.
Nutritional Information per Serving: 267 calories, 10.3 g protein, 26.6 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (1.2 g saturated), 9 g cholesterol, 2.4 fiber, 300 sodium.
Article updated on: November 4th, 2010
Onion soup is so delicious and easy to make. It’s definitely worth the bit of time it takes to make it. Personally, I find homemade French Onion (or regular Onion) Soup better than what I’ve had at restaurants since I can control the sodium content and everything else that’s in it. It’s also fun to play around with different types of cheeses and bread (I use a variety of gluten free or homemade bread) to vary the taste of each bowl.