Zuppa di Cipolle Piemontese
A comforting Piedmontese baked onion soup layered with toasted rustic bread, rich broth, and bubbling melted local Toma cheese.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 460 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- •Individual ovenproof bowls
- •Chef knife
- •Ladle
- •Baking tray
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 48 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 460 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.
- 2
Add the sliced onions with a generous pinch of sea salt.
- 3
Cook slowly for 25 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft and deeply golden.
- 4
Scatter the flour over the onions and stir continuously for two minutes.
- 5
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the base of the pan.
- 6
Add the hot beef broth and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- 7
Cover partially and simmer for 20 minutes to combine the flavours.
- 8
Toast the stale bread slices under a hot grill until dry and pale golden.
- 9
Season the soup with black pepper and ladle into four ovenproof bowls.
- 10
Place two toasted bread slices on each bowl and top generously with both cheeses.
- 11
Bake at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and browned.
- 12
Rest the bowls for two minutes before serving at the table.
Chef's tips
Cook the onions patiently over low heat to develop deep caramelised sweetness without burning the edges. Choose dense, crusty day-old bread so it absorbs the broth without disintegrating into mush.
Ingredient substitutions
- Toma Piemontese → Fontina or mild Gruyère
- beef broth → rich brown vegetable broth
Storage
Keep the base soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days without bread or cheese.
Reheating
Reheat the soup in a saucepan, then assemble with toasted bread and cheese before baking.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Frying the onions on high heat, which burns the edges and creates a bitter broth.
- •Using soft, fresh sandwich bread that turns soggy immediately under the liquid.
- •Skipping the oven gratin step, which misses the signature golden crust.
Serving suggestions
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