French Onion Beef & Potato Soup
Ingredients
* 1 lb (450 g) beef chuck, cut into bite-sized chunks
* 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
* 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 2 tbsp butter
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 5 cups beef broth
* 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
* 1 bay leaf
* ½ tsp black pepper
* Salt, to taste
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches for 5–7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and onions to the same pot. Cook for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and deeply golden.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Return the beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper. Stir and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
5. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 60–90 minutes, until the beef is nearly tender.
6. Add the potatoes and simmer for another 20–25 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft.
7. Remove the bay leaf, taste, and add salt as needed. Simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes if you prefer a slightly richer broth.
Serve hot.
Tip: Don’t rush the onions. Slowly caramelizing them until deep golden brown gives the broth its rich French onion flavor without adding cream or flour.