Chef John's take on carabaccia, the Tuscan predecessor to French onion soup, is made with onions, sage, and cinnamon, and a cheesy Italian bread topping.
Preparation Time
20 mins
Cooking Time
1 hr 45 mins
Total Time
2 hr 5 mins
Calories
308 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Toast in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Ladle soup into serving bowls and top each with a piece of toast. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the toast and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top. Dunk toast into the soup and let soak for a few minutes before serving.
Step 3
Make the soup: Peel onions and cut in half. Cut along the grain lengthwise into thin slices.
Step 4
Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and kosher salt. Cook and stir until starting to turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and sweet, about 1 hour.
Step 5
Add sage leaves, pepper, cinnamon, and almonds to the onions. Cook and stir until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a soup pot. Pour in vinegar and broth and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
Step 6
When the soup is almost finished, make the toast: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Step 7
Place Italian bread onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over the bread; sprinkle sliced sage and some Parmesan cheese on top.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste, divided
Ground cinnamon
4 pounds red onions
3 leaves sage
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste
5 cups beef broth, or more as needed
3 thick slices Italian bread, halved
3 leaves sage, or to taste, sliced into thin strips
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste, divided
