A new twist on French onion soup

What's not to love about French onion soup? I mean, really. Deliciously caramelized onions, savoury, rich broth, bread, and LOTS of ooey, gooey, melted cheese! It's a thing of beauty. Recently, two things conspired to give me the opportunity to try a new riff on this favourite from my childhood: I found myself with a huge bag of onions to use up and I had the privilege of being sent a cookbook full of casseroles for review. Upon examining the book I found something that changed my world: French Onion Soup Casserole.

Wait, what??

Yes, you read that correctly. A whole casserole featuring all of the delicious elements of the famous soup. The universe was telling me to make this.

(SIde note: French onion soup reminds me of my late father. I hated onions as a kid, but he loved them. He'd order FOS at restaurants frequently and let me eat the cheese off the top. I know, I'm spoiled. But I digress. Just had to share that special food memory).

Anyway, back to the task at hand. You'll find the full recipe in Family Favorite Casserole Recipes.

For this recipe, you're going to need:

-- Onions

-- Butter

-- Dijon mustard

-- Chicken stock

-- Beef stock

-- Sugar

-- Baguette

-- Gruyere cheese, grated

-- Fresh thyme, for garnish

The basic procedure goes a little something like this:

Step 1: Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.* Slice up your onions. You'll need about 3-4 large onions. I recruited my husband for this tear-jerking job. I think I owe him!

Step 2: Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute your onions until they start to soften. Once that occurs, sprinkle in a bit of sugar to help the onions to caramelize. Continue to cook the onions until they are soft and sweet, being careful not to burn them.

Step 3: Add in your stock and Dijon mustard, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Meanwhile, slice the baguette into about 25 slices. Toast in a preheated 350 degree F oven for a couple of minutes on each side. Don't turn off your oven.

Step 5: Assemble the casserole: Start by layering half the bread slices on the bottom of the greased pan. Top with half the onion mixture. Repeat the layers one more time and top with the shredded Gruyere. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and brown around the edges. Garnish with thyme, and serve.

The result is delicious! Warming and cozy, this is true comfort food! If you love French onion soup, I think you'll love this. Take my advice: Don't skimp on the cheese! The melted, gooey cheese is the perfect counterpart to the savoury filling beneath. I served this casserole as a side dish alongside a roast beef, but you could absolutely serve it as a vegetarian main dish (substituting veggie stock) perhaps with a salad on the side.

This was a hit in our house, and I will be making it again for sure.

Dad, I"ll think of you every time I make it :) <3

If your family cringes at the mention of the word "casserole," Family Favourite Casserole Recipes will change their minds. This book contains recipes for 103 recipes for every meal of day, from breakfast to dessert. There is a beautiful photo of every recipe, which is a major plus in my book. If you are looking for a cookbook that offers comforting, family-friendly recipes that you can make any night of the week for your family, this is the one.