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–+ servings
Creamy Beer and Onion Soup – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Creamy Beer and Onion Soup

Forget typical French onion soup! This is a richer, creamier cousin, elevated with the malty depth of dark beer and a silky, luxurious finish from slowly caramelized onions and tempered egg yolks.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 serving
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs (1.35 kg / 2.98 lb) onions, about 8 to 10 medium
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ cup (170 g / 6 oz) butter
  • 2 cups (480 ml) Vegetable Broth
  • 2½ cups / 600 ml (20.3 fl oz) dark beer or stout
  • 1¼ cups / 300 ml (10.1 fl oz) heavy cream
  • 2 tsp (10 g / 0.35 oz) salt
  • 2 tsp (4 g / 0.14 oz) paprika
  • 1 dash Tabasco sauce
  • Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 to 4 tsp / 8 to 16 g (0.56 oz) sugar, adjusted for beer bitterness
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) cider vinegar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • For Garnish (Optional)
  • Hot paprika
  • Toasted croutons
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • for Success
  • Choose your beer wisely. A rich stout (like Guinness) or a dark porter will add the best malty depth. Avoid anything too hoppy, like an IPA, which can make the soup unpleasantly bitter.
  • To prevent scrambled eggs in your soup, temper the yolks properly. Whisk a ladleful of the hot soup into the yolks *very slowly* before adding the mixture back to the pot. Constant whisking is your best friend here.
  • This soup tastes even better the next day! The flavors have more time to meld and deepen. Reheat it gently on the stovetop, being careful not to bring it to a boil.

Method
 

  1. Peel the onions, halve them crosswise, and slice them thinly.
  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over low heat.
  3. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic.
  4. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until the onions are deeply soft, sweet, and translucent, but not browned.
  5. Add the vegetable broth to the onions.
  6. Working in batches, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and purée until completely smooth.
  7. Pour the smooth onion purée back into the pot.
  8. Stir in the dark beer, cream, salt, paprika, Tabasco, a few grinds of black pepper, sugar, and cider vinegar.
  9. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  10. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale and smooth.
  11. While whisking continuously, very slowly pour about one cup of the hot soup into the egg yolks to temper them. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
  12. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the main pot of soup, whisking quickly to combine everything.
  13. Continue to cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 more minutes until the soup has slightly thickened.
  14. Do not let it boil.
  15. Serve immediately in warm bowls.
  16. Garnish with a sprinkle of hot paprika, or top with toasted croutons and a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.
  17. Patience is key for the onions.
  18. Cook them low and slow for the full hour to develop a deep, sweet, jammy flavor.
  19. Don't be tempted to rush this foundational step!

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 35g

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