French Onion Soup Rice (Printer-friendly)
Caramelized onions, tender rice and bubbling Gruyère baked in savory broth for a cozy one-dish casserole.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Grains
03 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
→ Dairy
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
07 - 2 1/4 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
08 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
→ Pantry
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Topping
13 - 1 cup French bread croutons or cubes, toasted
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply caramelized and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and thyme to the caramelized onions, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Deglaze the skillet with white wine if using, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
05 - Stir in the rinsed rice, coating each grain with the onion mixture, and cook for 2 minutes to lightly toast.
06 - Transfer the onion-rice mixture to a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Pour in the broth, season with salt and pepper, and stir gently to combine.
07 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
08 - Remove the foil and fluff the rice with a fork. Sprinkle shredded Gruyère and grated Parmesan evenly over the top, then scatter the toasted bread croutons. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
09 - Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It captures everything you love about French onion soup but requires a fraction of the effort and fills you up like a real meal.
- The cheese gets impossibly crispy on top and the rice soaks up every bit of that savory onion broth underneath.
02 -
- Trying to speed up the onion caramelization by turning up the heat will give you charred edges and raw centers instead of that deep sweet mahogany color you want.
- Resist the urge to peek while the rice bakes covered because every time you lift the foil you let steam escape and the rice needs that moisture.
03 -
- A cast iron skillet moves straight from stovetop to oven and saves you washing an extra dish, which is always a win.
- The biggest secret is slicing your onions paper thin because thinner onions caramelize faster and more evenly, and a sharp knife makes this almost effortless.