French Onion Beef Noodle Soup
Recipe GLPR0a4c86121957d5
A deeply savory fusion soup combining caramelized French onions with braised beef short ribs and aromatic Asian spices, finished with tender ramen noodles. The rich broth simmers for hours, melding umami flavors from soy sauce, ginger, and warm spices like star anise and cinnamon into a comforting, complex bowl.
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Ingredients
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 lb. English-style bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 2" segments
Kosher salt, to taste
6 scallions, white and dark green parts separated
8 garlic cloves
1 4" piece ginger, scrubbed and thinly sliced
6 star anise pods
2 3" cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
2 tsp. black peppercorns
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, or more to taste
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
5 lb. onions (about 10 medium), thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, or more to taste
30 oz. fresh or 18 oz. dried ramen noodles
Directions
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef short ribs generously with kosher salt. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pot, brown the ribs on all sides, turning occasionally, until deeply caramelized, about 12–14 minutes total. Transfer the browned ribs to a clean platter. Carefully pour off the excess fat from the pot, leaving just enough to lightly coat the bottom.
Return the pot to medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallions, garlic cloves, and sliced ginger. Stir occasionally until the vegetables begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, black peppercorns, and coriander seeds. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spices become fragrant and the oil sizzles around them, about 1 minute.
Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer until almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Return the browned beef to the pot, then add the soy sauce and 12 cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to low and partially cover with a lid. Simmer gently until the meat is very tender but not quite falling off the bone, about 1½ hours.
Meanwhile, in a separate large pot or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat until the foaming subsides. Add the sliced onions and season with kosher salt. Stir often as the onions begin to take on color, about 15 minutes. If all the onions don't fit at once, add what you can, cover the pot, and steam for 5 minutes, then stir in the remaining onions and continue cooking. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply golden brown, very soft, but not mushy, 30–45 minutes total.
Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked beef from the broth and transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bone fragments and excess fat. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding all the solids.
Add the shredded beef and the strained broth to the pot with the caramelized onions. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors have melded and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 30 minutes. Stir in the rice vinegar. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning by adding more vinegar and/or soy sauce as desired.
Thinly slice the dark green parts of the scallions. Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions; drain well. Divide the cooked noodles among serving bowls. Carefully ladle the hot soup, beef, and onions over the noodles, ensuring each bowl receives plenty of meat and caramelized onions. Top each bowl with the sliced scallion greens and serve immediately.
