French Onion Braised Beef combines two beloved dishes: braised beef and French onion soup! Tender chunks of beef cook low and slow in the oven with caramelized onions in a rich beef broth.

This dish is the definition of comfort food and it’s so perfect for the cooler months. Topping the braised beef with cheesy crostini at the end just takes it to the next level!

French Onion Braised Beef

When it comes to the ultimate comfort meal, few things can compare to braised beef. Whether it’s red wine braised beef served over mashed potatoes, or my mom’s classic pot roast, there’s just something special about beef cooked low and slow.

Here, I’ve combined two of my favorite cozy meals — braised beef and French Onion Soup— into a dinner that tastes fancy, but is also incredibly easy to make. This recipe is perfect for a lazy Sunday or for a dinner party where you want to wow your guests without hours of effort. Your oven honestly does most of the work!

From the deeply caramelized onions and rich, red wine sauce to the fall-apart tender braised beef, it’s the most comforting dinner you’ll want to make all winter. I love serving French onion braised beef over mashed potatoes with some buttered peas and carrots on the side for the perfect dinner.

What is Braising?

While this may sound like an intimidating cooking term, it’s actually so straight forward and mostly hands-off! It’s a technique that I encourage everyone to learn because it produces truly the most delicious meals.

Braising is a combination cooking technique that features both wet and dry heat. First, you sear beef chuck for flavor and color and then you add liquid to the pot and transfer the covered pot to the oven. In the oven, the beef cooks slowly at a lower temperature.

The resulting meat is exceedingly tender. Braising is particularly effective for tough cuts of meat (brisket, chuck, pork shoulder, short ribs, etc). Cooking tough meats low and slow in liquid allows the muscle tissue and collagen to slowly break down.

If you want to learn more about braising, check out my collection of braising recipes or pick up a copy of my cookbook, Braised!

How to Make French Onion Braised Beef

For this recipe, I highly recommend a mandoline for slicing the onions and a large dutch oven to make sure that everything fits!

Tools Needed

• 6 quart Dutch Oven
• Mandoline
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board

Step-by-Step Photos & Instructions

1. Prep the beef and onions. Cut the beef into 2-inch cubes and season them well with salt and pepper and set them aside. Peel the onions and cut them in half, root to stem. Use a mandoline to thinly slice them to about 1mm. If you’re great with a knife, you can definitely do it by hand, but a mandoline will ensure that all the onion slices are even and that they’ll cook evenly and melt into the sauce. Use a piece of kitchen twine to tie the thyme sprigs into a bundle.
2. Sear the beef. Heat the oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.. Pat the beef pieces dry with a paper towel and season liberally all over with salt and pepper. Arrange the beef pieces in a single layer in the dutch oven (you may need to do this in batches) and sear the beef for 4-5 minutes per side until it’s deeply browned. Transfer the beef to a plate.
3. Caramelize the onions. After removing the beef, add butter to the dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add in the onions and toss well to coat in the butter. Cover with a lid for 5 minutes. Uncover, add the sliced garlic, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.
4. Build the sauce and braise. Once the onions are caramelized, stir in the Worcestershire, dijon, and flour. Stir in the vermouth and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the beef stock and season with salt and pepper. Add the beef back to the pot with the bay leaves and the thyme bundle. Cover and transfer to the oven for 3 hours, or until the beef is tender and easily shredded. Remove from the oven and let the beef rest for 15 minutes.
5. Toast the baguette. While the beef rests, lay the sliced baguette on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove the sheet from the oven and set the broiler on high.
6. Finish the braised beef. Discard the bay leaves and thyme bundle from the beef stew. Lay the toasted baguette slices over the top of the beef stew and top with the shredded gruyere cheese and thyme leaves and a crack or two of black pepper. Transfer to the oven under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Serve right away.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Take your time with the sear. Creating that brown crust on the outside of the beef chunks goes a long way to building flavor in french onion braised beef. When you sear your beef, it’s best to do it in at least 2 batches so that you don’t crowd the pan.

Use a mandoline. I consider myself as having excellent knife skills and I still would rather use a mandoline than try to slice all the onions by hand. For one, it makes the work go so much quicker. Two, all your onion slices will be the same size and thickness and so they’ll cook evenly and melt into the sauce.

Take time with caramelizing the onions. Unfortunately there is just no shortcut for caramelizing onions so just take your time with it! Give them a stir every now and then and just let them go until they are deeply golden brown.

Check on your braise. While I give estimated cooking times, braising is really an exercise in cooking by visual cues. The shape or depth of your dutch oven might be different to mine, your oven might run hotter or cooler. Plan to check on your braise half-way through–if it looks dry, add liquid. If the meat looks too dark, lower the temp a bit.

What to Serve with French Onion Braised Beef

If I’m having braised beef for dinner, you better know that I’ll be having a cold and crisp salad to go along with it! My favorite is my little gem caesar salad, but a loaded wedge or fattoush salad never go amiss either. Any one of these salads pairs perfectly with braised beef and add a nice fresh and cool start to a rich meal.

I love serving French onion braised beef over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

No dinner is complete without dessert and there’s something about braised beef that just makes me want to have chocolate after! My skillet brookie, marbled cheesecake brownies, or chocolate whiskey cake would all be the perfect sweet endings to a decadent meal.

Storage Instructions

In the event that you have leftovers, French onion braised beef is easy to store and freeze!

To store: Let the beef and braising liquid cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 4-6 days in the fridge. I recommend storing the cheesy bread topping separately.

Freezing braised beef: You can very easily freeze braised beef! Let the beef and liquid cool to room temperature and then store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Try to press most of the air out of the bag while sealing, this helps prevent freezer burn. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: French onion braised beef is best reheated in a skillet or dutch oven, so that it doesn’t dry out in the microwave. Add the beef and liquid to a dutch oven or skillet, adding a little extra broth or water as needed. Cover and simmer on low until the beef is tender and warmed through.

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French Onion Braised Beef is the comfort food mashup you need in your life! It’s the perfect recipe for entertaining or for a special Sunday dinner. If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

More Braising Recipes to Try

Braised Beef Ragu
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Apple Cider Braised Pork
Coconut Braised Chicken Thighs
Pasta alla Genovese

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