French dip sandwiches are simply delicious. I wanted to recreate that deliciousness in soup form by “deconstructing” the traditional recipe. I think it worked out rather well! It’s a little bit French Onion soup and a little bit french dip. If you think about it the sandwich actually lends itself well as a soup because the “au jus” is pretty much a broth. All the ingredients were there to be reformed! I chose ground beef as a substitute for the sliced beef but if you’d like to use top round or rump roast (same as the sandwich) I’m sure that would be delish as well. I figured the ground beef would lend itself better in soup form but your mileage may vary. The key to this soup is actually the sourdough croutons. You gotta have those to complete the french dip experience! A good white cheese is also imperative, either shredded provolone or an aged white cheddar are both great options.
French Dip Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 6 yellow onions halved and sliced thin width-wise
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1.34 lbs ground beef or substitute a top roast/rump roast
- 4 celery stalks diced
- 5 carrots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sherry or white wine
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme minced
- 8 to 10 cups beef stock depending on desired consistency
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp worcestershire
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 packet french onion soup mix
- 2 tbsp flour
- 6 servings sourdough croutons
- provolone or white cheddar for garnish
Instructions
-
In a large stockpot, brown the beef and crumble apart. Set aside, reserving the juices.
-
Melt the butter in the stockpot, add the sliced onions. Cook on medium high until just caramelized (but not burnt), about 15-20 minutes.
-
Add carrots and celery. Cook until translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
-
Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, white wine and french onion soup mix. Cook about a minute, until fragrant.
-
Add the ground beef, bay leaf, beef stock, worcestershire and soy sauce. Taste and adjust broth according to desired flavor and consistency.
-
Cook for 1-2 hours on low (you can also transfer to a crock pot at this point and make a slow cooker version!).
-
Stir in 2 tbsp flour to thicken the soup.
-
Toast the sourdough bread and chop into crouton size pieces. Add the croutons to each bowl and garnish with cheese.
