Brrr . . . Baby it's cold outside!!! Time to cuddle up indoors with a good book by the fire! Time to break out the woolie socks and jumpers . . . Time for soup!
Hot steaming soup . . . bone warming, tummy hugging, soul comforting soup.
This recipe today is proof positive that you need neither fancy expensive ingredients nor extreme talent to create a soul warming delicious soup.
All you need is a few simple ingredients and a bit of ingenuity. All the elements of comfort are in this soup . . . warm milk . . . hot buttered toast . . . meltingly tender soft squidgy onions . . . rich oozy and tangy melting cheese . . .
I think cheese and onion are the quintessential good marriage of flavours. If you don't like cheese and you don't like onions . . . you had better look away now, coz you won't like this.
But it you love them as much as I do, then you'll absolutely go crazy over this.
Trust me!!! Would I lie to you???
*Cheese and Onion Soup*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
This may be quick and easy but it's not short on flavour. Proof positive that you don't need complicated or expensive ingredients to make something quite, quite tasty!
4 medium sized onions, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
16 ounces boiling water (2 cups)
16 ounces whole milk (2 cups)
a knob of butter
a couple of handfuls of grated strong cheddar cheese (I like to use a good Farmhouse cheddar)
4 slices of buttered toast (I like a hearty whole wheat)
seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
a pinch of grated nutmeg
2 spring onions, finely chopped for garnish
Place the chopped onions into a large saucepan along with the boiling water and some salt. Simmer until tender. The onions should be quite translucent and very tender. This should take about 20 minutes. Add the milk and bring back just to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a further 15 minutes. Add the knob of butter and season to taste with some salt, pepper and a p9inch of nutmeg.
Put a slice of buttered toast into the bottom of each of four heated soup plates. Top each with some of the cheese. Ladle the hot soup over top and sprinkle each with a garnish of chopped spring onions. Serve immediately.
I loved how you describe soup...and it feels that way to me too. Thanks for the simple recipe..I think I should have made my leftovers into soup today! ;D
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious, and how unusual (at least in my experience) to put buttered toast in the bottom of a bowl. I like that and I'll be trying this soup.
ReplyDeleteWhat is a knob of butter? Never heard that term of measurement.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Kathy
This looks wonderful btw
Is a knob the same as a dollop? This is going to be my soup d'jour for my painting class next week! Thanks, Marie. Love you, Jenny
ReplyDeleteA knob is anything you want it to be Jenny! From a little dollop to a bigger dollop. It all depends on how much of the buttery taste you want in there! Gluttonous me, uses a large dollop.
ReplyDeleteThe cheese on top of this soup looks so inviting. I bet it smells divine too.
ReplyDeletePerfect! Love the toast in the bowl thing. Keith thinks you haven't had home-made soup if you haven't soaked some toast or bread in it.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds delicious! I know French Onion soup has bread on top of the soup with cheese on top of it!
ReplyDeleteFrench Onion is my favourite when having guests for lunch on a winter's day. Apart from making a rich beef and onion broth which is best reinforced with red wine, sherry, port or brandy, which can take hours, it's very easy. Take one slice of bread for each person, the wholemealyer the better, toast it on one side, slather the other side with as much strong cheese as you find,the cheese should be really thick, then put it under the grill to make cheese on toast. Put it on the TOP of the bowl of soup, definitely not the bottom, and you have a beautiful gourmet soup. I think it would go well on the soup described here, also.
DeleteI'm very familiar with French Onion Soup Judy. Its a dish I have made for years and I agree it is very good, and yes gourmet. This isn't meant to be gourmet, just a simple soup that is delicious, that can be thrown together simply, using simple ingredients. A comfort thing, kind of like milk toast, except with onions and cheese involved. ;-) Thanks for your input.
DeleteI agree cheese and onions are a perfect match..well done.
ReplyDeletedeeeeeeelicious! Such a comforting dish. Hope you are well and over your cold Marie xx
ReplyDeleteEver sound yummy! The weather is getting cold here so I'm into my soup making mode and definitely want to try this one.....we're onion fanatic!
ReplyDeletehttp://healthyfoodideas.blogspot.com/
It is the season for soup. Yours sounds like perfect comfort on a cold November day.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young I thought my Mother was crazy for loving cheese sandwiches with onion. Now I don't make a grilled cheese sandwich without some thinly sliced onion added! This soup sound wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE this cheese and onion soup!
ReplyDeleteWill need to give this recipe a bash!!!! I love this combo in pastie form and crisp form so why not soup form?
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with everyone and "Cheddar" cheese these days? Nowhere seems to sell anything other than Cheddar anymore. I have to go to a specialist cheese store to get anything different.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this recipe is actually better with mature, crumbly, white Cheshire cheese, which has a stronger natural tangy taste.
Allan, I often use a variety of cheeses for different things. For some recipes, I might use a good Stilton, or another a Gruyere, or manchego, or whatever cheese the recipe suits. For me . . . This recipe is perfect with a good simple Farmhouse Cheddar. But fill your boots, and use whatever cheese you want to use!
ReplyDeletei like to melt the cheese in the milk and onions yummy
ReplyDeletecheddar has got to be the best ever for this recipe for the whole family to enjoy even the kids love it with hot crusty garlic bread
ReplyDeletea slight varition,
ReplyDeletethis my nans recipe.
1 onion gently fried in butter, but stili leaving a bit of a crunch, add milk to cover, bring to the boil then simmer.
add cheese, mild cheeder is best as it goes all stringy, add cracked black pepper n salt to taste.
eat with a spoon n crusty bread n butter...
i still have this today, its real comfort food :)
My mum use to cook that for dad and I've asked so many people if they remember it but no one has heard of it, that's how I come to find this soup, thank you you have ended my search m ej :-)
DeleteSounds fabulous M ej!
DeleteSounds great m ej! The simple things are often the best of things!
ReplyDeleteI have been searching for what my mum use to cook my dad 40 years ago and I think you have just ended my search lol thank you m ej :-) , I've been asking and searching for ages that's how I came across this soup but your comment is more like it thank you
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome Kezza! Xo
ReplyDeleteCheese & Onion soup in this fashion was a regular meal in our home growing up in South Africa, Yorkshire and Northern Rhodesia. I am glad to run across your recipe because searching through my dear departed mum's recipes, I never found it. But why would she have a recipe for something that was a staple in our home? I am off downstairs now to try your recipe ... using some Red Leicester on this one (finding proper Cheddar in my current part of the world — Limburg — is not easy).
ReplyDeleteI dohope you like it MachineLimburg! I am sure the Red Leicester would be delicious also! It would certainly give it a nice colour!
DeleteMarie ...
DeleteYour recipe hit the proverbial spot! It took me back to my youth in a flash! This will now restore a family staple to my repertoire of meals. Thanks for posting this. It is a happy and nostalgic success — congrats!
Dave
Dave, I am so happy it was enjoyed! Doing the happy dance here! xo
Deletemy granny used to make this but only on a saturday Grandad hated cheese and as he worked on that day granny and I had it for lunch with nice crispy rolls but must admit I cook in water onions add the cheese and thicken mine with cornflour in milk
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory to have of lunches with your Gran Susannah! This is a very old recipe and I would imagine there are many versions of it! These onions are also cooked in water, but there is no thickening. Perhaps the bread serves that purpose? I don't know! xo
DeleteI made this with a combination of shredded cheddar, cubed Velveeta, and Swiss cheese. The Swiss gives it a nice flavor. I used about a cup of vegetable broth and then the rest was water, and used a combination of three kinds of onions. Super good. I actually was initially making a three onion soup and thought maybe adding cheese would work. That's when I found your recipe. People might want to consider adding a little beer or wine to this. My initial recipe called for brandy, so I used some red wine, instead. Anyway, I was actually a little bored with onion soup, so thanks for the idea! -Stacey E.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome Stacey! I am glad that you enjoyed! xo
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