Guinness Onion Soup

Healthy recipe for French Onion Soup. It's made with Guinness, so it's dark, rich and perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 3 large, sweet yellow onions (such as Vidalia), thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 sprig thyme, stems removed and leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 11-ounce bottle Guinness or other stout beer
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 ounces aged Irish Cheddar, grated
• 2 small whole wheat diner rolls, cut in half lengthwise

Directions

• Heat a large stockpot over high heat. Add the canola oil and the onions. Add the garlic, thyme, brown sugar and salt. Stir and reduce the heat to medium. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often until the onions start to brown. If the onions begin to burn or stick, add a few tablespoons of water and continue cooking.
• Add the beef broth, water, Guinness, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are very soft and start to break apart.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Transfer the soup into 4 oven-safe bowls and place them on a baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes until it browns lightly. Place the bread slices on top of the soup and sprinkle the cheese evenly over them. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and brown. Serve immediately.
• Nutritional stats are for 2 cups soup topped with bread slice and cheese.