French Onion Soup Without Oven Safe Bowl [Recipe & Tips]
You just love French onion soup but don’t have an oven-safe bowl? Not a problem! The cheesy, toasty goodness we adore about this comforting classic can still be achieved without one. The key is to think outside the box. With a few tweaks and tricks, I’ll show you that you can still enjoy the same great flavors of French onion soup in no time. So, how to make French onion soup without an oven-safe bowl?
A regular soup bowl serves just as well as an oven-safe bowl; just bake the bread and cheese on parchment paper. Other methods to add cheese and bread to your soup is to make grilled cheese toast, grill cheese and bread on a stovetop, or use a microwave.
These aren’t just half-baked ideas since each one of them works wonders for delivering that unmistakable, gooey flavor we crave. With parchment paper, a baking tray, and a few clever hacks up your sleeve, you’ll find that you don’t need an oven-safe bowl after all! So let’s get started.
Use a Regular Soup Bowl & Bake the Bread and Cheese on Parchment Paper
If you don’t have an oven-safe bowl, there are still numerous ways to make a delicious French onion soup. One of the easiest methods is to simply use a regular soup bowl. This works best if you’re only making a few servings, as you won’t need to bake too many bowls at once.
To add the cheesy, crunchy topping, you’ll have to get creative. Here’s what I suggest:
Take some parchment paper and lay it on top of a baking sheet.
Cut slices of French bread into small cubes, place them on the parchment paper, and sprinkle them with a good amount of grated cheese.
Bake the bread until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on top of your soup bowl for presentation.
This method allows you to get that classic cheese and bread combination without an oven-safe bowl, so you can still enjoy French onion soup without buying special dishes or bowls!
Make Grilled Cheese Toast
Have you got a skillet?
If it’s a yes, then you can make delicious grilled cheese toast to top off your soup! Just cut slices of French baguette into thick slices, spread some butter on one side, and add your favorite grated cheese. Heat the skillet until it’s hot (about medium heat), and fry the slices until they turn golden brown.
And there you have it! A perfect cheesy topping for your soup! Now, all that’s left is to pick the perfect sandwich to go with your soup and enjoy!
Other Quick and Easy Alternatives to Adding Cheese and Bread Toppings
The bread and cheese toppings are just as important as the French onion soup. So, here are three more creative and super easy ways to get the same effect:
- Grill the cheese and bread on a stovetop until lightly golden brown and crispy. I love this method — it adds a smoky flavor to the soup, and it’s delicious!
- Toast your bread on a skillet over medium heat, flipping it halfway through so both sides get golden brown and crisp. Then, top it with cheese and put it back on the pan for about a minute until it melts.
- The cheese melts not only in ovens or grills – but also microwaves! Just add your favorite cheese over some pre-toasted croutons and microwave for about 30 seconds until your desired texture is reached. It’s that easy!
Making French Onion Soup without an oven-safe bowl may seem daunting, but you can still get those delicious cheesy and crunchy toppings with these simple steps!
Tips for Making the Perfect French Onion Soup Without Oven Safe Bowl
Although it’s convenient to simmer your soup in the oven-safe bowl and then put it under the broiler to melt the cheese, there are still a few tips to make your French onion soup even better when you don’t have an oven-safe bowl.
When adding cheese, I always pick a good sharp one that will give my soup a great flavor. If you want your cheese to melt perfectly, grate it first and sprinkle it over the top of the soup instead of dumping it in.
You’ll also want to add some bread to your soup, which is easy enough even in a non-oven-safe bowl. Place the bread on parchment paper and sprinkle it with a good amount of grated cheese. Place this parchment paper on top of the soup and then put it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes at full power until melted.
If you’re extra hungry, add more bread or any other type of starch, like tortilla chips or croutons, for some crunchy goodness. There are quite a few great roundabouts when making French onion soup without an oven-safe bowl!
French Onion Soup Without Oven Safe Bowl
Ingredients
- 7 whole onions
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 8 ⅓ cups water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
- 8 slices bread (1 cm thick)
- 2 ½ cups Gruyere cheese (Grated; you can substitute it for Swiss, Emmental, or Provolone)
Instructions
- Cut each onion in half, then cut the halves into thin strips.
- Toss the the oil and butter into a skillet, and heat them over medium heat. Then, toss in the onion, stir, then cover the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes are up, uncover the dish, add a little salt and sugar and let it caramelize for 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-to-low. Stir occasionally. Don’t add water, rather reduce the heat.
- In the meantime, prepare the stock and preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
- Layer your baking tray with baking paper, and put the slices of bread on the tray. Sprinkle half of the prepared grated cheese over them.
- When the onions are caramelized, add stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil, leave it on for another 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Do this step simultaneously with the previous one: put the bread in the preheated oven for about 13 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
- The soup is ready just about when the bread and cheese is.
- Now take out the bay leaves.
- Divide the finished soup into plates while it is still hot. Sprinkle with cheese and place a slice of bread with melted cheese on top of each plate.
