Upside Down French Onion Soup
A wonderful way to enjoy the deliciously iconic flavor of French Onion soup, in a hand-held version that also happens to be great for summertime.
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- 2 pounds onions very thinly sliced (see note about mandoline)
- 3 teaspoons beef stock concentrate (such as Better Than Bouillon)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat, along with the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft and relatively tender (this goes fast if they’re sliced extra thin).
- Add the stock concentrate, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes more, stirring really well to get all the flavors evenly distributed. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme .
- Sprinkle the grated Gruyere on the parchment paper, in an even layer that will fit nicely under the puff pastry (no larger than that). Top with some of the onion mixture, using about a heaping cup of it, give or take – you’ll likely have enough left over to make a second tart (see note).
- Lay the pastry over top, fully covering the filling. Using the tips of a fork’s tines, press all around the edges of the pastry, creating a seal and a simple design. Bake until very golden brown and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before gently running a knife under the tart and flipping over onto either a large plate, platter or another baking sheet. Top with a simple arugula salad, if you like, and enjoy warm.
Notes
Note 1: I usually snag a 3-pound bag and use ⅔ of that. Also, to create paper-thin slices of onion that truly melt into almost a jam of sorts, I highly recommend using/purchasing a mandoline. I don’t love single-use tools, but having one of these is worth it, simply due to the time they save you and the precision they allow for when slicing anything and everything.
Note 2: Leftover onion soup concentrate can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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