French Onion Risotto with Sweet Caramelized Onions and Beef Broth
By Mason Brooks
Prep
10 min
Cook
70 min
Total
80 min
Servings
3
Level
Easy
Serve this French onion risotto straight from the cooking pan for a main dish․ Ingredients in French onion soup‚ such as caramelized onions and Parmesan cheese‚ thyme‚ white wine‚ and beef broth‚ are also used in this dish․
Arborio rice adds starch and texture․ Carnaroli rice is another good substitute․ Onions are cooked with butter and salt until medium golden․ Onions are cooked in beef broth to rehydrate․ Sautéed garlic and thyme in butter are added to Arborio rice and broth in a risotto pot with onions‚ white wine‚ and Parmesan cheese․
Heat the broth to help keep the risotto warm․ Opaque rice grains are fully cooked․ The risotto will be soft and dry but not watery․ You'll know when the rice is cooked because the liquid level will be lower than the top of the rice in the pan when you add more broth․ Avoid sautéing garlic and other ingredients and adding all the broth at the beginning to prevent changing the texture of the risotto․
This meal should be served fresh‚ with the rice still loose from the broth and cheese․ Reheat leftovers in beef broth or other cooked dishes‚ including risotto croquettes and arancini․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Meets the wants of people who want to eat French onion soup by adding beef broth‚ thyme‚ wine‚ Parmesan cheese‚ and caramelized onions to a one-dish soup․
- Suitable for winter consumption‚ this recipe turns familiar French onion soup notes into a rice dish that can be served as a meal‚ not an appetizer․
- Home cooks can stir the dish because the recipe calls for just a couple of stirs each time you add broth to the dish․
- The wide-pan technique helps cook the rice thoroughly because the rice has room to move in the wide pan and not be as tightly packed as in a narrow pan․
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is used in this recipe instead of Gruyere to keep cheese flavors in balance with other flavors from caramelized onions and beef broth․
- Leftover risotto can be consumed or used in other dishes‚ including reheated risotto with broth and other risotto dishes‚ such as risotto balls and arancini․
Ingredients
- •2 large yellow onions (diced small)
- •3 tbsp butter (for caramelized onions)
- •¼ cup beef broth (for caramelized onions)
- •3 tbsp butter (for risotto)
- •6 cloves garlic (minced finely)
- •6 sprigs fresh thyme (6-7 sprigs, leaves removed from stems)
- •½ tsp salt (plus a heavy pinch for the onions, or to taste)
- •1 cup Arborio rice (unwashed)
- •¾ cup dry white wine
- •4 cups beef broth (4-5 cups, kept warm)
- •¾ cup Parmesan cheese (loosely packed, not weighed)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter.
- 2
Add the diced onions and a heavy pinch of salt, then toss to coat the onions in melted butter.
- 3
Cook the onions undisturbed, mixing only every 6-7 minutes, until golden but not burnt, about 40 minutes.
- 4
Add 1/4 cup beef broth and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Set the onions aside or refrigerate them for another day.
- 5
Place 4-5 cups beef broth in a saucepan over low heat to keep warm.
- 6
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a wide pot over medium-low heat.
- 7
Add the garlic, thyme leaves, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes until soft and fragrant without browning the garlic.
- 8
Add the Arborio rice and mix to combine. Toast for 3-4 minutes, until the grains start to become translucent.
- 9
Pour in the dry white wine and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed.
- 10
Add the caramelized onions and mix to combine.
- 11
Add enough warm beef broth to just cover the risotto, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups depending on the pan. Mix once and shake the pan so all grains are covered.
- 12
Cook until the rice absorbs most of the broth, mixing 2-3 times during each round and adding more warm broth as needed.
- 13
After the first round of broth, taste the liquid and add salt if needed, starting with a heavy pinch.
- 14
When the rice is loose and al dente, with broth not completely absorbed, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- 15
Serve immediately.
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