French Onion Soup, No Oil
The whole of French onion soup is in the onions, and specifically in how far you are willing to take the browning. Cooked patiently, they turn almost jammy and give up a sweetness that tastes like far more than an onion and water should. No oil is needed for this, only a little liquid and the discipline to keep scraping the pan. The classic finish is a raft of bread and melted cheese; here the savory weight comes from a spoon of miso and a no-salt bouillon instead, and the vinegar at the end keeps it from tasting flat. Serve it with whole-grain toast on the side if you miss the crouton.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb Yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 4 sprigs Thyme
- 1 Bay leave
- 1 tbsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1 tbsp White miso
- 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Put the sliced onions in a heavy pot over medium heat with 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. Cover and let them steam down for 10 minutes until floppy and reduced by half. This softens them fast so the real browning can begin.
- Uncover and keep cooking, stirring often. As the pan dries and the onions start to stick and brown, add a splash of water and scrape up the brown film each time. That film, the fond, is the entire flavor of the soup, and building it in layers is what replaces the depth butter would add. Keep going 30 to 40 minutes until the onions are a deep, even mahogany.
- Add the garlic and cook one minute. Pour in 6 cups (1.4 L) water, the bouillon, thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper, scraping the pot once more. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Fish out the thyme stems and bay leaf. Whisk the miso with a ladle of the hot broth in a cup until smooth, then stir it back in off a hard boil. Miso is fermented and it is doing the savory, almost cheesy job the gruyere does on top, so add it gently and do not boil it after.
- Stir in the red wine vinegar right at the end. A soup this sweet needs the acid to snap it into focus, the same reason a splash of sherry goes into the traditional pot. Taste, add more pepper, and serve.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 120 calories, 5 g protein, 5 g fiber, 220 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
