Cheese and Onion Soup

Cheese and Onion Soup features a classic flavour pairing in a simple, lightly creamy, cheesy broth. But simple doesn’t mean dull. Top each bowl with bubbling, golden brown cheese toasts and you’ll see what I mean.

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MAKE A MEAL OF CHEESE

I came across Cheese and Onion Soup in a recipe book from 1974. Make A Meal of Cheese was produced by the Cheese Information Service whose job was to get Brits eating more of our home produced cheese.

I love these retro cookbooks. Admittedly, lots of the recipes are probably more for amusement value rather than cooking (Cheddar Curry, anyone?). But, persevere, and you can find some real gems. In fact, one of my current favourite hot puddings, Plum Cinnamon Batter Pudding, was inspired by a 1970s recipe and it’s brilliant.

I’d eaten a lovely but very rich cheese and beer soup years ago in a restaurant. But the lighter Cheese and Onion Soup in the Cheese Information Service book sounded much more suitable for everyday eating.

However, don’t think that means boring. Lightly cheesy and lightly creamy it may be. But, topped with golden brown cheese toasts, it’s proof that the everyday can be rather good.

I’ve tweaked the original recipe a teeny bit, but barely any changes were needed.

CHEESE AND ONION SOUP

I wouldn’t be surprised if you already have all the ingredients for this easy soup. Which makes it perfect for rustling up at short notice. It cooks in just 25 minutes. Add to that a bit of time for prepping the ingredients and I reckon Cheese and Onion Soup can be on the table in under 40 minutes.

All you need are: butter, onions, celery (you could even leave this out), garlic, plain flour, milk, stock, cheese, bread.

If you’ve made any kind of soup before then you’ll be familiar with the basic method. We start by cooking the vegetables in butter until soft. Try not to rush this stage. Ten to fifteen minutes at a lower heat will give you much better flavour than hotter and faster.

Next we add a little flour. This will help to thicken the soup. Let it cook for a couple of minutes then take your pan off the heat.

I do the next stage off the heat so there’s less likely to be any lumps. Using a mix of two-thirds whole milk to one third stock, I start gradually stirring it into the softened vegetables and flour.

Once all the liquid is smoothly incorporated, the pan can go back on the heat and the contents brought up to a simmer. Just five minutes will be enough to finish cooking the vegetables and flour, and also thicken the soup.

So, you may well ask, where’s the cheese in this Cheese and Onion Soup? Well, you’ll have to wait until after the next section to find out.

CHEESE TOASTS

While the simmering is taking place, I make the tempting cheese toasts that take the soup to the next level of comfort food.

Two thick slices of good bread (homemade no-knead bread in my house) are plenty for four servings. Cut them into squares, crusts off or on as preferred, allowing three or four pieces per serving.

You can toast one or both sides: toasting both will give a crunchier result. Then sprinkle the squares generously with mature Cheddar cheese: if you only toasted one side, put the cheese on the untoasted side.

Just before the soup is ready, pop the cheese toasts under a hot grill until bubbling and golden brown.

FINISHING CHEESE AND ONION SOUP

With the soup simmered and the cheese toasts a gnat’s whisker away from being done, it’s time to finish the soup by adding that all-important cheese. Again, this is best done off the heat. This makes it less likely that the broth will split (see Recipe Notes at the end on reheating and splitting).

While I like a robust Cheddar, almost any flavoursome, melting cheese should work. You can even use up any odds and ends of cheese.

Toss the grated cheese into the soup and stir until melted. As you’ll see in the detailed recipe card at the end, I season the soup as I go along, but do give it a final taste check.

Serve the soup into warm bowls and float some cheese toasts on each portion.

With its lightly creamy, but not cloying, broth, plus tangy cheese and soft onions sweetened by cooking, I think Cheese and Onion Soup is a real winner. Especially considering the simple ingredients and how quickly it can be put together.

Add to that crispy toasted bread with even cheesier topping and you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making it for years.

HAVE YOU MADE THIS SOUP? LEAVE A COMMENT & DON’T FORGET TO RATE IT

5 from 1 vote

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Cheese and Onion Soup

A classic flavour pairing in a simple, lightly creamy, cheesy broth, topped with bubbling, golden brown cheese toasts.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Lunch

Cuisine Vegetarian, European

Keyword comfort food, easy

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 30 g butter
• 2 onions skinned, halved, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 30 g plain flour
• 500 ml whole milk
• 250 ml stock e.g. chicken or vegetable
• 100 g mature Cheddar cheese grated

For the cheese toasts

• 2 thick slices bread
• 25 g mature Cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

1. Over low-medium heat, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the prepared onion, celery, and garlic. Stir in a pinch of salt and a generous grind of pepper.

   Cook, stirring often, until they're soft but not browned (10-15 minutes).

2. Stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes then take the saucepan off the heat.

3. Combine the milk and stock then pour approximately 100ml into the saucepan. Stir well until it is combined with the other ingredients with no lumps then gradually stir in the rest of the liquid.

   Put the saucepan back on the heat, turned up to medium-high. Add another pinch of salt and a little more pepper. Stir constantly while the soup comes up to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

   Tip: make the cheese toasts while the soup is simmering.

4. Take the soup off the heat, add the grated cheese, then stir until it melts. Check the seasoning again.

   Serve the soup into warm bowls, topping each with 3 or 4 cheese toasts.

Cheese toasts

1. Cut the bread into 12-16 squares then toast on one or both sides, as preferred.

   Sprinkle with the grated cheese (on the untoasted side if applicable) then put under the grill until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Recipe Notes

Leftover soup can be chilled and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Freezing not recommended. Reheat gently so the broth doesn't split. However, if it does split, this won't affect the taste.

Recipe adapted from: Make A Meal Of Cheese (1974)

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