French onion soup has always been one of my favorites, but I’d never tried making it at home until now. Instead of going traditional, I decided to put my own spin on it — turning that deep onion flavor into a full dinner with slow-braised chuck roast and noodles. The result? All the cozy flavors I love, with enough substance to make it a real family meal.
French Onion Beef and Noodles with Cheesy Bread
Servings 6
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck roast or stew beef cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 5 cups beef broth low sodium if possible
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 oz wide egg noodles
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (optional, garnish)
- Crusty bread slices for cheesy topping
Instructions
Caramelize the Onions
- Heat 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown (about 25–30 minutes).
- Stir in the garlic during the last minute.
- Remove onions from the pot and set aside.
Brown the Beef
- Pat the chuck roast cubes dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- In the same pot, sear beef in batches until browned on all sides (don’t overcrowd).
- Return all beef to the pot, sprinkle with flour, and stir to coat.
Build the Broth
- Slowly pour in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, and the caramelized onions back in.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid.
Braise Until Tender
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is fork-tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Cook the Noodles
- About 15 minutes before the beef is done, boil the egg noodles separately until al dente. Drain.
Combine & Finish
- Stir the noodles into the beef and onion mixture.
- Toast slices of crusty bread, top with Gruyère cheese, and broil until bubbly and golden.
- Ladle beef and noodles into bowls, then float the cheesy bread on top (like French onion soup).
Serving
- Garnish with fresh parsley if you like. Serve hot with extra cheese on the side.
Video
@jefsmk French Onion Soup + Beef & Noodles = comfort food perfection 🥩🧅🍲 Slow-braised chuck roast, caramelized onions, noodles, and a golden cheese bread topper 🔥 Full recipe up soon on SmekerBuilt.com. #FrenchOnionSoup #BeefAndNoodles #ComfortFood #SmekerBuilt
♬ original sound - Jeff Smeker
Notes
First time making this, I used 16 oz of wide egg noodles. It was too many. Going to 12 next time.