Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Nothing says Irish more than a Guinness, so why not add it to one of my favorite soups. French onion soup is easy to make, but it does take some time to caramelize the onions to perfection. But it is so worth it! Usually at a restaurant, french onion soup is loaded with cheese. Don’t get me wrong I love cheese, but I am trying to avoid extra calories.  You control the calories by the amount of cheese you use for the topping.

To caramelize the onions, they must cook for about 40 minutes. Stirring about every 10 minutes to help them turn a golden brown. If the onions start to stick to the pan, simply add some Guinness to deglaze the pan.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large onions sliced thinly, about 8 cups (this looks like a lot, but they will cook down)
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can of Guinness
• 4 cups of beef or vegetable broth (used organic beef, but vegetable would work for vegetarians)
• splash of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• French baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch slices, brush lightly with olive oil and toast in the oven
• shredded cheddar or swiss

Directions

•  Add olive oil to a heated large pot or sauce pan of over medium heat. Add the sliced onions to caramelize. To caramelize the onions, see tips.
• Add the brown sugar, garlic, thyme, and butter cook for  a few minutes.
• Meanwhile whisk the flour and water until smooth. Add to pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add the Guinness and increase the heat to get it nice and bubbly. Reduce the Guinness by half.
• Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into oven proof bowls. Top with toasted baguette and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.