French Onion Soup Rice (Printable)
Baked caramelized onions, Gruyère and tender rice in a savory broth topped with toasted croutons.
# What You'll 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
→ 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. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply caramelized and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and thyme, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
05 - Add the rinsed rice to the skillet, stirring to coat each grain with the onion mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, allowing the rice to lightly toast.
06 - Transfer the onion-rice mixture to the prepared 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 the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top, scatter the toasted croutons, and bake uncovered for an additional 10–12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
09 - Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It captures everything you crave about French onion soup but requires a fraction of the effort and fills you up like a real meal.
- The cheese gets all golden and bubbly on top while the rice underneath stays tender and rich with broth.
02 -
- Do not rush the caramelization step because those 25 minutes are what transform plain onions into the sweet, jammy backbone of the entire dish.
- If you skip the foil during the covered bake the rice will dry out instead of becoming perfectly tender.
03 -
- A splash of Worcestershire sauce stirred into the broth adds a savory depth that makes the whole dish taste like it simmered all day.
- Slice your onions as uniformly thin as possible because uneven slices mean some pieces burn while others stay raw.