Be sure to use some oven-safe soup bowls for this one, since it will have to broil a bit before serving. This dish is noted for its gooey melted provolone underneath which is a unique round crouton that’s made from bread similar to a hamburger bun. The cheesy mixture adds a zing with the onion soup and is an easy dish to serve to guests.

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 medium white onions, sliced
8 cups beef broth (Swanson is best)
1 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 plain hamburger buns
10 slices provolone cheese
10 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

1. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large soup pot or saucepan
over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté
for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start
to become translucent. You don’t want them to brown.
2. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and
black pepper to the pan and bring mixture to a boil.
When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for
45 minutes.
3. To make the croutons cut off the top half of each top
of the hamburger bun so that the bread is the same thickness
as the bottom half of each bun. Throw the tops away. Now you
should have 10 round pieces of bread — 5 bottom buns, and 5
top buns with the tops cut off. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place the bread in the the oven directly on the rack and bake
for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown
and crispy. Set these croutons aside until you need them.
4. When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven-safe
bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice
of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon
of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone.
5. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the
soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and
starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are
making more than one bowl at a time). Sprinkle an additional
1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the
soup and serve. Repeat process to prepare remaining servings.
Makes 10 servings.