French Onion Soup Sandwiches

I make no secret of my love for Joy The Baker. She has gifted us with many recipes over the last year that quickly became family favorites: Avocado Fries, Zucchini Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins…

Now, however, she may very well have risen to hero status in our house. Last May she posted these French Onion Soup Sandwiches. It took me nine months to discover them and we will never be apart again.

This recipe makes two sandwiches. That’s perfect as our little nest is growing emptier and I find myself making dinners for two more often than dinners for three, four or five.

Obviously you start with onions… two big beautiful onions for two big beautiful sandwiches!

As you cook them, the onions break down and caramelize, getting sweet and delicious. Then you add fresh Thyme, a bit of salt, amazing Gruyère cheese and great bread…

Together they come very close to sandwichy perfection.

These are great on a cold night, snuggled under a blanket watching the Hallmark Channel! Or you know, whatever you want to watch. ;-)

French Onion Soup Sandwiches

Recipe from Joy The Baker via Portuguese Girl Cooking

2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut in half and sliced into 1/4-inch semi-circles

3 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened, plus more for buttering the bread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 scant teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

pinch of granulated sugar

3 tablespoons beef broth to deglaze the pan

3/4 cup finely shredded Gruyère cheese, split

4 slices bread

In a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil and stir until butter is melted. Add the onions and toss to coat them in the fat. Let the onions cook, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes. Add salt, thyme, and pepper and stir. Place a lid on the pan and let the onions cook. Stir the onions every so often and lower the heat if they are browning too quickly. Take your time cooking the onions. It’s low and slow for this one. Trust me, it will be worth it in the end. After about 10-15 minutes, you’ll see the onions begin to darken and break down. Keep cooking and stirring occasionally for another 10-15 minutes.

When onions are entirely browned and completely soft, add the beef broth to deglaze the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any burned bits off the bottom of the pan as the liquid evaporates. This adds extra flavor and it doesn’t take very long for the liquid to evaporate so scrape quickly! Remove pan from heat and set aside while you assemble the sandwiches.

Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the unbuttered side of one slice, add half the Gruyère cheese, then half the warm onion mixture and top with another slice of bread. Repeat this to assemble the other sandwich.

Cook the sandwiches over medium heat in a sauté pan. Flip the sandwiches and continue to cook until the outside is crispy and golden and the cheese is gooey and melted on the inside.

Do you see why she is a hero? These are so good! One bite and my husband said “Yep, these are keepers!” Thanks Joy for another amazing recipe! You’re a keeper too. :-)