This soup is bright, full of flavor, and pairs very well with some great cheeses or crunchy breads, without using wine in the ingredients!

It’s also a fantastic soup to make to prepare for autumn and winter illnesses; packed with fresh thyme, and potent onions, and quality broth, it’s a great sipping soup to have on hand to help you feel better.

Here I go into what onions to buy/grow, tools, ingredients, and instructions on how to pressure can this delicious French Onion Soup.

1. French Onion Soup Pressure Canning Recipe (without wine)
2. Video of my French Onion Soup
3. That’s It!

French Onion Soup Pressure Canning Recipe (without wine)

Growing or Buying the right Onions

This recipe does best with sweeter onions, since the sugars of the onions helps the balance the dark taste of beef broth.

If you are buying onions look for bags of Vidalia onions.

If you are growing onions look for Walla Walla, Valencia, or Yellow Sweet Spanish Onion seeds.

Red onions are fine, however, if you can help it start with these sweeter yellow onions.

Tools you Need

• Large Stockpot
• Pressure Canner
• 5-6 Quart Jars

Ingredients

Makes 5-6 quarts

• 4 pounds sweet onions, chopped or sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper
• 1/4 cup EVOO or enough to cover onions liberally
• 4 quarts of beef broth (storebought or homemade, 1 quart jar is 1 storebought box)
• Zest and juice of 1-2 lemons (start with one, if you want a more lemon taste add the second one; I prefer 2)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, or vinegar of your choice
• 3-4 tablespoons of fresh thyme, chopped

Instructions

Onion Prep:

1. Chop or thinly slice all your onions and place into your large stockpot. A vegetable chopper works well if you have one.
2. Cover the onions with EVOO, salt and pepper. Stir well.
3. Place on medium low heat and allow them to simmer for 1 hour covered with a lid.
4. After that hour, take the cover off and allow them to cook for another hour on the same medium low heat. They should be reduced by half, very soft but not burnt.
   • Optional: if you wish to follow more traditional French onion soup recipe, go ahead and cook the onions longer until they are caramelized. This will take a few hours to complete. This soup recipe is delicious either way, so this will be cook’s choice.

Canning:

1. Once onions are cooked, set up your pressure canner, and get your jars in some hot water now, so they are ready to go when it’s time to fill the jars.
2. Next to the soup, add broth, lemon zest/juice, vinegar of choice, and your fresh chopped thyme. Stir well, bring heat up to medium high, and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust soup to taste with salt/pepper, thyme, or more lemons or vinegars.
4. Once it’s simmered, bring your jars out. Fill your jars with hot soup, leaving 1 inch headspace.
5. Transfer to your canner. Can quart jars for 1 hour 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude). If you did pints, can them for 1 hour.
6. Follow your canner’s instruction booklet for these processes.
7. Once out of the canner, allow to cool for 12-24 hours, wash jars with soapy water and store in cool, dry place. Enjoy!

Video of my French Onion Soup

That’s It!

Please, if you want to caramelize the onions, by all means go ahead! I don’t feel the need to do this, it’s wonderful with the onions cooked and reduced down by half.

If you do want to use wine, check out Ball’s recipe for French Onion Soup online. I do not drink so I couldn’t tell you what wine to use, however.

Also, in the video I used my CHIVE BLOSSOM VINEGAR. This vinegar turns onion-like and a perfect match for soups (recipe linked).

Enjoy!

The Cottage Vegetable

Gardening & Preserving for a Practical Kitchen

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