Onion soup recipe with sage & Cheddar | Soup recipes & starter recipes

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english onion soup with sage and cheddar

english onion soup with sage and cheddar

starter
There’s something so incredibly humble about onion soup. It’s absolutely one of my favourites but unfortunately I only ever get to make it in the restaurant or for myself as the missus thinks she’s allergic to onions. (She’s not, because I whiz them up into loads of dishes without her knowing!)

If you have the opportunity, get hold of as many different types of onion for this soup as you can – you need about 1kg in total. Sweat them gently and you’ll be amazed at all the flavours going on.

Put the butter, 2 glugs of olive oil, the sage and garlic into a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Stir everything round and add the onions, shallots and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without colouring the vegetables too much. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes – your onions will become soft and golden. Stir occasionally so that nothing catches on the bottom. Having the patience to cook the onions slowly, slowly, gives you an incredible sweetness and an awesome flavour, so don’t be tempted to speed this bit up.

When your onions and leeks are lovely and silky, add the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can skim any fat off the surface if you like, but I prefer to leave it because it adds good flavour.

Preheat the oven or grill to maximum. Toast your bread on both sides. Correct the seasoning of the soup. When it’s perfect, ladle it into individual heatproof serving bowls and place them on a baking tray. Tear toasted bread over each bowl to fit it like a lid. Feel free to push and dunk the bread into the soup a bit. Sprinkle with some grated Cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce.

Dress your reserved sage leaves with some olive oil and place one on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking tray into the preheated oven or under the grill to melt the cheese until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn’t burn! When the cheese is bubbling, very carefully lift out the tray and carry it to the table. Enjoy.

• from Jamie at Home

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ingredients

• a good knob of butter
olive oil
• a good handful of fresh sage leaves, 8 leaves reserved for serving
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 5 red onions, peeled and sliced
• 3 large white onions, peeled and sliced
• 3 banana shallots, peeled and sliced
• 300g leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 litres good-quality hot beef, chicken or vegetable stock
• 8 slices of good-quality stale bread,
2cm thick
• 200g freshly grated Cheddar cheese
• Worcestershire sauce

user comments

70 comments

1. joobes Mon 01 Feb 2010 @ 15:18 Can this be frozen??

2. Jayne Fri 08 Jan 2010 @ 15:26 Hi Jamie, your onion soup is the best recipe for it going in my opinion and on the plus side its great when you have a cold I swear it could be a cure. It is easy to make too even my fiancee can make it which is amazing bought him your ministry of chefs anyone can cook and its workin so thankyou for that lone to Joules and the kids
Jayne Holden

3. derek Sat 19 Dec 2009 @ 18:04 deciding to give the french onion soup a go after watching u do it on telly today. turned out pretty well.. gonna give the "mac n cheese" a go next week.. cheers...

4. Matthew Poland Sat 03 Oct 2009 @ 15:44 Hi Jamie,I've never watched your tv programmes before but I wrote down your english soup last night and cooked it today..well tried it.I wasn't sure whether to add water to the onions at the beginning as couldn't see it turning that lovely mushy colour.Anyway I did and didn't cook it long enough.Annoyed!

5. emma Mon 28 Sep 2009 @ 17:03 I'm looking to make this for a dinner party...how many people will this amount serve if I use ramekins to present it?

6. chef 101 Fri 10 Jul 2009 @ 20:16 this recipe was so easy and quick to make and soooooooooooooooooooo tasty

7. JUAN Wed 01 Jul 2009 @ 19:03 HEY JAMIE ITS POSSIBLE TO USE INSTEAD OF CHEDDAR , PARMESAN CHEESE

8. Jess Fri 05 Jun 2009 @ 05:13 Made this soup last night, was delicious. You must have the bread and cheese with it. It makes the dish complete.

9. patricia laine smith Mon 18 May 2009 @ 20:00 Jamie...I am not impressed by to many men...but you are on the top of my list. You are a remarkable person, you should be Lord James Oliver . England was never known for it's great food.. you put it back on the Map...you have it all...
I want a good friend like you......I'm going to work on that.
GOD BLESS YOU.....Barrie, ontario canada..just a little north of toronto...we love you...

10. k.bathma Wed 11 Mar 2009 @ 13:48 hello Jamie,
The English onion looks yummy, yet to try out which i just caught sight of it in television. But I've tried the potatoes grilled. Oh !My! Every one of my entire family enjoyed it on eve of 2009 Barbeque party.Thank you! You made me recognised more.
S'pore

11. Amy Sun 22 Feb 2009 @ 06:25 Hey Jamie,

I am eating your Onion Soup now, I might have to re name it to Aussie Onion Soup tho :) its lovely and very sweet. My husband hates soups but his eating this one :D

On Jame at home you mentioned to use a slicer of some sort for the onions, well we did n hubby sliced his finger OPS! his ok tho :)

Whats suppose to happen to the Sage Leaves? am I suppose to take them out?

Thanks for the recipe

Love Amy .... xoxo

P.S I passed a few recipes around Love the Salmon Tikki big hit.

12. SUZIE Fri 16 Jan 2009 @ 12:34 That soup looks so nice!! but i am doing Slimming world please could you give me tips on how to keep the flavours without the oil/fats. I can use low fat cheese and brown bread will this be as nice tho???

13. Melissa Fri 09 Jan 2009 @ 12:27 Looks lovely......Going to make it this weekend!
Nottingham.

14. Esba Tue 06 Jan 2009 @ 20:02 This is a fantastic recipe! I just tried it for the first time. Me and all of my friends just loved it. Perfect dish for a cold winter evening.

Thanks a lot (!!!!!) and greetings from breezy Finland,
Esba

15. Tiago Tue 30 Dec 2008 @ 20:46 Hi Jamie,

I love this soup and I've the munchies for it oftenly... Now I can have it pretty much when I want it.... Tks for all these lovely recipes and for all your good work with the scholl cafeterias and under motivated teens.
I just realised that we're doin such actions for long time now, but i thout you oppened 15 last year... Your shows are displayed in Portugal with a "small" delay.

I have been a true inspiration for me

Love from Portugal

16. chefsoul Wed 26 Nov 2008 @ 17:30 ohh seems by the amount of comments that it seems to be popular.
Will be trying it soon, bit random but i love soft onions mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

i could just have a roll with onions and sauce yum yum yum !

17. patrick tofts Tue 25 Nov 2008 @ 14:39 almost make it your way jme
don't eat meat, use veg stock
and a touch of white wine
I like gruyere on smaller toast squares
it's my favourite for winter in melbourne
is there a vichychoise recipe a la jme ?
Love the min of health concept
Patrick Melbourne

18. peter lavery Wed 08 Oct 2008 @ 00:06 plse do u have more blended soups i love them but dont know how 2 make them .some books r crap on soups ,crazy recipes
thanks peter from N.IRE

19. Claudia Sun 14 Sep 2008 @ 23:50 Hi Jamie!
We just made your onion soup and it was delicious! Once the soup was out of the oven, it was sooo pretty that I told my boyfriend to take a picture!
We love you, you're awesome and so funny!!

Claudia (Victoriaville, Québec, Canada)

20. danielle7312 Sat 26 Jul 2008 @ 21:23 Hi Jamie
I watched your show on english onion soup and decided to make my own.I used olny what I had on hand.I ended up changing it up at bit.I used your overall recipee as a guide but added white wine ,bay leaf,a bit of tomatoe paste,a dash of honey and worchester.Olny 2 kinds of yellow onions,with the oniond I added some chopped portabello mushrooms.I know it was supposed to be onion soup but wow!It tasted amazing you should give it a try! I love your show and your style of cooking.A big Fan!!!

21. Oli Smith Fri 25 Jul 2008 @ 11:55 Divine!!!! Cooked it last night it was brilliant and in relation to ellie button's question it served 5 with small amount for seconds.

22. AJ Fri 25 Jul 2008 @ 03:09 I made this soup after seeing the 'Onion' episode sometime last year. Best onion soup I've ever had, and I LOVE onion soup. Can't wait to make it again.

23. ellie button Tue 22 Jul 2008 @ 18:42 Would someone be kind enough to tell me how many people this soup serves?? please and thank you : )

24. Stephanie Tue 22 Jul 2008 @ 01:53 I love this recipe!! A also love all your other recipes and love watching your shows, Oliver's Twist and Jaime at Home: you are hilarious! :)

25. Elisa Mon 30 Jun 2008 @ 20:51 Hi, I confess that the first time that I heard about you (when a friend of mine bought one of your books, a couple of years ago) I didn't give much credit. "Just another lame book...", I thought, but one I was changing the tv channels and I stop at the one that was displaying your program (gnt, a channel that we have here in Brazil) and I really liked it. Well, here we just entered in Winter and, even if it's not so cold as in Winters of other places, I'm gonna try your soup and try to heat a little. Well, let me stop struggling with my poor, poor English.

26. george f Fri 27 Jun 2008 @ 12:02 i tried this soup. and i have to say this was the WORST soup i have ever had..... naa im just kidding. it was delicious, you are a god among chefs. thank you for taking my taste buds on this adventure.
best wishes. george xx

27. Jaymi Walshe Thu 26 Jun 2008 @ 19:46 Hi,
I have made this onion soup for myself today & it was amazing. In the past i have made the mistake of frying the onions super fast and then bringing to the boil & leaving it for an hour simmering, it tasted ok but nothing like today. After pretty much doing the exact opposite following your recipe, i'm onto a winner. Thankyou Jamie, i cant wait for your next series...
KInd regards,
Jaymi (female!!!!)

28. navid Thu 26 Jun 2008 @ 08:48 hi,
I'm a 32 male cook from Iran and trying to make cook show.i'm one of your fan and need your help.ialso can send you Iranian delicious recipes.
waitin 4 your contact.

Thanks & Regards
Navid

29. kroz Wed 25 Jun 2008 @ 19:26 hi iv been watching jamie ever since he first came on tv i think hes what the world of cookin needs and i think his healthy eating in schools is great wish they had thought of it sooner im a chef and not really done it since i left college but iv been offered a great job opportunity and iv taken it so if u read this jamie and u have any addvice it would be greatly appreciated as im crapin my pants lol my e-mail is naked_chef57@hotmail.com well keep up the gud work.
kroz

30. Umberto Cinquini Wed 25 Jun 2008 @ 18:38 GREAT
I find YOU.. but.. please can you translate in Italian some recipes..

31. Aunty Clare Sun 22 Jun 2008 @ 23:57 I just thought I'd drop a big THANK-YOU to our Jamie! I watched all of the Jamie at home series and was inspired to start 'growing my own' this year! I've had loadsa lettuce popping up, strawberries in hanging baskets, herbs galore, beans, tomatoes & brussels are coming on lovely! all totally organic...and I only have a small garden, will definateley keep it going..
Thanks again for inspiring me to do it!

32. Gregg Weisbrod Tue 17 Jun 2008 @ 19:30 I've been watching Jaime at Home alot the past couple of months, and saw this recipe on the onion episode I think. Anyways, it looked so amazing that I made it that very night. Not only did it look almost identical to the one you made, it tasted absolutely brilliant! I've made it twice now, with both times turning out incredible.

Who knows if you read these at all, but man, you've totally turned me on to cooking, I'm even foaming at the mouth to start my own garden with fresh veg and herbs, I can't wait! Cheers!

33. Sonya Karlsson Tue 17 Jun 2008 @ 11:02 I'd like to say Jamie, you've had such a profound influence in my day to day cooking. The once chore of putting dinner on the table has now become a passionate, fun and enlivening experience and ultimately a great escape from the mundane. Your love for this artform is contagious and I am grateful your cooking show has given me that zest for flavours,creativity and adventure into new ingredients. My latest birthday gift was a Jamie Oliver Tefal frypan....It's awesome. I've now got my eye on the flavour shaker.
Love your work!
Sonya

34. AussieBob Sun 15 Jun 2008 @ 01:33 I cannot find a search function box anywhere on your websites. Do they exist? I am looking for your salad recipe that includes some FRIED CHEESE.
Do you know where to find it?

Thanks,

AussieBob.

35. Leseia Fewtrell Sun 15 Jun 2008 @ 00:49 Hi Jaimie,

Am looking for a really wild Vegetable soup recipe I know you will have one that is just sooooo different.

Cheers
Leseia
New Zealand

36. Mililani Sat 14 Jun 2008 @ 21:50 Made this soup last night! My husband and his friends went wild for the soup! They were at the beach surfing all day. I told them that Jamie helped me out once again in the kitchen!

Mahalo,
Mililani

37. Ally Sat 14 Jun 2008 @ 10:57 Hi, i've convinced myself that Jamie did a pumpkin soup, on one of his TV shows recently, and that he left the skin on the pumkin, yet i can't find the receipe anywhere, can anyone help???

38. georgina Fri 13 Jun 2008 @ 10:22 HELP - I am desperate to buy natural food colourings for childrens cakes, icing etc. Can anyone help me pleeeeeeeeez.

39. charlotte Thu 12 Jun 2008 @ 20:24 Hi i am 10 years old and i want 2 b a chef when i get older, your food has really inspired me. by the way my school dinners are much nicer since ur TV programme.

40. mary maguire Wed 11 Jun 2008 @ 22:54 can you tell me what is the diffrence in useing normel cooking oil and useing extra virgin olive oil

41. Zsuzsa Sun 08 Jun 2008 @ 20:59 What a joy to see a soup recipe from Jamie! Living in a country whose only contribution to the world is the gulyás soup I never really understood why you kept excluding this type of food from your range. So now I am extremely happy, and hoping to learn about more super-pukka-smashing soup recipes from you. Cheers Zsuzsa

42. Jamie Sun 08 Jun 2008 @ 10:34 your food is just so delectable Yummy!! =)

43. KK Sun 08 Jun 2008 @ 00:32 Hi Jamie,

You did an amazing Cheese and Onion salad in your "Jamie at Home" "Onions" episode, but I missed all the ingredients and I can't find it any where. Would you be so kind as to send it to me, the yogurt dressing looked especially delicious.

Many thanks.

44. Fred Sat 07 Jun 2008 @ 15:05 Jamie... love your show, Jamie at Home, and all the natural goodness and such you put into all of your recipes. You keep it all so real. This soup looks fantastic and it's the next one I'm going to try. I'll have to get over to the UK and Oxford, to try your new restaurant. Love Italian, and I'm sure that yours will be the best. Will you be getting over to the USA anytime soon? Would love to "meet the master" or see you live. Take care and thanks for making cooking so much more enjoyable, fun, and passionate.

45. Luis Augusto Wed 04 Jun 2008 @ 21:58 Hi Jamie... When will you be here in BRAZIL ??? As you had the opportunity to taste with Claude Troisgros few weeks ago, we have ingredients that will make you crazy... Let's prove it. Come on !!!

46. Myra Wed 04 Jun 2008 @ 14:05 My partner and I made this yummy soup last weekend, but man! The wind! What to doooo! hehe

47. dolfin Tue 03 Jun 2008 @ 20:05 one hell of a soup recipe thx jamie.

48. Karien Tue 03 Jun 2008 @ 11:33 You can buy good quality stock in every grocery store. If you buy cubes, you will have to buy good quality one's and just add hot boiled water. Easy as that! This is a great recipe!!!!

49. st wong Tue 03 Jun 2008 @ 06:07 this onion soup looks so tasty. However, I dont know how to make the soup stock.. : (

50. marian sharp Sun 01 Jun 2008 @ 19:51 Jamie having sorted out the chicks please take on the pigs make people aware tesco should not rule the waves

51. Pineapple Sat 31 May 2008 @ 11:07 Dnt Lik It Its Looks Lik Sick Wid Sum Big Lumps In It No Affence Mayb If U Changed Its Presentation

52. caetlyn Wed 28 May 2008 @ 06:51 i love u jamie :) i have all your books and you taught me how to want to cook :)

53. Leo Tue 27 May 2008 @ 21:13 Nuss meus Deus, isso é mto bom hehehehehe
huuuummm delícia!!!
nunca me virei tão bem na cozinha uauauauaua
vlw
abcs

54. Lesley Mon 26 May 2008 @ 13:44 Eugene, try putting some salt into your onions when you fry them it helps them sweat then they don't burn, and keep the heat low! Cheers.

55. Susan Mon 26 May 2008 @ 11:54 I think that the thick bottom of the pan gives a really even heat, so if you use pan with a thin bottom the veg will burn easily. Also you need the heat really low to be able to cook the veg for such a long time and again, not to burn the veg.

56. Eugene Sun 25 May 2008 @ 06:44 hi, i tried out the onion soup recipe. however, after slowly cooking the onions for 50 mins, they turned out blacken. i followed your recipie and steps. can you tell me what to do? however, i must say that your other recipies that i have tried have been sucessfull. thks!

57. Irene Sun 25 May 2008 @ 01:54 I saw Jamie prepare this on the telly and tried it from memory...it was better than my husband's! It's a cold wintry day out there and I thought of making it again, so here I am at the website for the recipe.

58. Pucker Boi Sat 24 May 2008 @ 23:02 Love it, very english soup, very tasty and very english couldnt of wanted more when i made this!! Thank you

59. Vanessa Fri 23 May 2008 @ 18:47 YES U DO BOB (HE GOES 2 MY SKOOL)
ANYWAY THE PIC LOOKS HORRIBLE
THAT REALLY PUTS ME OFF=(

60. Bob Thu 22 May 2008 @ 15:44 the food in the picture looks a bit like sick, but i'm sure it tastes good(by the way i don't really eat people)

61. azlina aziz Thu 22 May 2008 @ 12:58 hi jamie....
im azlina from malaysia....im really loves ur cookin prgrm...the way u cook is do interesting made is as an easy way...keep up gud work...wish u best of luck

62. Jenny Thu 22 May 2008 @ 10:36 Hi my name is Jenny i'm 15 and me and my mam watch you at home i think all of your recipes are really original like your sweet potatoe and lavender muffins ( i think)!! YOUR MINT !!
luv jen xx

63. Kimberley Hearn Thu 22 May 2008 @ 09:02 My name is Kimberley Hearn, and i am 14 and i love your show 'Jamie at Home'... io think you are an awsome cook and when i watch your show my tastebuds go off! i love what you do and never give up your dreams... you are an exellent cook and entertainer... and ur hot

64. marilyn Wed 21 May 2008 @ 09:54 hey so cool i looked at this website lovely i am going to make it at home

65. Thomas Fri 16 May 2008 @ 08:46 WHAT IS THIS !!

EWWWW !!!
It looks like dish water with a lump of cow hyde !!!!

BLEEUUHH !!!

66. Robert Thu 15 May 2008 @ 16:03 hello. I don't know hw you could say that. I loved it so much!

67. Linda from Australia Thu 15 May 2008 @ 03:40 Hi Jamie
We love and have bought most of your books and the your Italian book is definitely the best as we have cooked nearly every dish published!
We especially loved your episode where you are on your road trip thru Italy and arrive at the Monastery.
You are a of a wonderful character.
Have you thought of travelling to Greece? Here we discovered the food is so fresh and the authentic dishes are absolutely delicious. Not so many carbs!
I feel another Greek cuisine book on the way!
Cheers from avid fans in South Australia! x

68. SpringMornings Mon 12 May 2008 @ 02:13 I just wanted to say I think you are rather cool, love what you accomplished with 15, giving those youngsters a fantastic chance in life. I enjoy how you cook, especially outside. I watch your Jamie at home show, your vege garden is totally awesome. Best chef ever, blessings to you and yours

69. Burkey Wed 07 May 2008 @ 03:08 Thanks for the recipe Jamie and all the others I have tried. I have added some of your recipes to my "Can't Live Without" collection - the Roast Chicken Breast with Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes is a great favourite, served it for guests last Saturday night, delicate flavour, easy to prepare. Going to try the Onion Soup tonight. I still have a recipe from an old book by Robert Carrier for the French version, ("Great Dishes of the World")so will now try the English version as per Jamie. Have enjoyed myself no end on Recipe Swap etc. Thank you again.

70. robby Saintlace Sun 04 May 2008 @ 16:02 I been preparing all of your recipes. They are fantastic to say the least. Jamie, you are the best in my book! Good luck with your Italian adventure. I am an Italian and learned from my grandfather who was an Italian Chef. He had a couple of Italian Eateries and I would chef along with him as a young teen. I learned to cook well because of my love for food and preparing it. I thought about visiting you and interviewing for a position. That would of been a dream come true. Not many want to hire a 54 year old man today, at least in the USA. Best wishes to you my friend.

Regards,
Robby Saintlace (Santospago)
robstlace@msn.com