October 17, 2023
Review RecipeFrench Onion Beef
This French onion beef recipe is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for a cold winter night.
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This savory French onion beef is a must-try, especially if you love the flavors of French onion soup! Combining succulent slices of beef loaded with sweet caramelized onions and tender egg noodles, it’s an easy weeknight dinner that will make your tastebuds happy.
French Onion Beef Ingredients
This recipe starts with succulent, tender beef cooked in an intensely flavored broth made with caramelized onions and a blend of herbs and spices.
The broth creates an experience that is both savory and sweet – perfect for those who have an appetite for something special.
Adding the egg noodles to cook in the broth allows them to simmer in all those fantastic, savory flavors to create a flavorful and hearty meal.
To make this creamy French onion beef and noodles recipe, you’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 pounds of London broil beef, cut into 1-1½-inch cubes
- 1 cup of yellow onion, diced
- 32-ounce carton of unsalted beef broth
- 10.5-ounce can of French onion soup (Campbell’s brand)
- 1.1-ounce packet (from a 2.2-ounce box) of beefy onion soup mix (Lipton brand)
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped (plus additional for garnish)
- 12-ounce bag of egg noodles (Meuller’s brand hearty homestyle)
- ¾ cup of sour cream
- 2.8-ounce of crispy fried onions (French’s brand)
Substitutions And Additions
EGG NOODLES: Any type of egg noodles will work great in this recipe. I used the wider homestyle kind, so they took an extra couple of minutes to cook. You should check your noodles for doneness at the 8-9 minute mark and go from there with the rest of the recipe.
SOUP: If you can not find a can of French onion soup, you can substitute it with a can of beefy mushroom soup. It is the closest to the taste and texture of French onion soup that I have found. It is NOT the same as cream of mushroom soup.
BEEF: You can make this a really quick meal by eliminating the prep of cubing the beef and buying what is called “stew meat” from the meat counter of your grocery store. The stew meat is often cheaper to buy but can be slightly tougher when cooked. You may want to simmer your beef slightly longer than 10 minutes to ensure it is not too tough to chew.
How To Make This French Onion Beef Recipe
To create this delicious meal, start by slicing an onion and heating some butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and beef, stirring frequently until they become fragrant and slightly caramelized, and the beef is browned.
Next, pour in a mix of beef stock, French onion soup, and seasonings. Simmer everything together before finally adding the egg noodles and cooking until tender.
To make this delicious meal, follow our step-by-step instructions.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
I like to trim any excess fat from the cut of London broil beef before cutting it into cubes. It will sometimes have a piece of “silver skin” on the side that is tough to chew when cooked.
STEP ONE: In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the butter, cubed beef pieces, and chopped onion. Cook the onions and pieces of beef until the meat is lightly browned on all sides. This will take 7 to 9 minutes. It is ok if there is still some pink to the meat as it will continue to cook in the liquids.
PRO TIP:
Searing the meat before adding the broth will lock in the flavor and juices, resulting in tender and delicious beef.
STEP TWO: Once the meat is browned, add to the skillet the unsalted beef broth, can of French onion soup, the contents of the packet of beefy onion soup mix, salt, black pepper, and fresh chopped parsley. Lower the heat to medium heat and allow the meat to simmer for 10 minutes.
STEP THREE: Once the meat has simmered, stir in the egg noodles.
PRO TIP:
Make sure to note that you are adding the egg noodles UNCOOKED to the skillet. They will cook while simmering in the broth.
STEP FOUR: Bring the liquids up to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and allow the noodles to cook for 10-12 minutes or until soft. Check the noodles about halfway through cooking and stir them if needed. Be sure that all the noodles are in the liquids.
STEP FIVE: Once the noodles are cooked, remove the lid from the skillet, turn off the heat, and stir in the sour cream until you get a nice thick sauce.
STEP SIX: Sprinkle the crispy French fried onions over the top of the French onion beef noodles and add an additional sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, if desired to garnish.
PRO TIP:
This dish is best served immediately. As the noodles sit, they will continue to absorb the sauce.
How To Serve
To enhance the flavors of this dish, serve it with an easy Caesar salad dressed with a light dressing and some rustic bread such as crusty French bread or baguette slices for dipping into the mouthwatering sauce.
This dish would also be delicious when served with roasted broccoli or green beans to balance out the flavors and fill everyone up with a hearty meal.
Our French onion chicken and French onion pork chops are two more great recipes that showcase the delicious depth of flavor that French onion brings to a dish.
Storage
This recipe is best made and enjoyed fresh. You can keep it in the fridge for up to a day.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can store any leftovers, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
IN THE FREEZER: This is not a good meal for freezing as the pasta will absorb all the liquids and will not yield the same results as when it is freshly made.
Inspired by classic French onion soup, this savory (and surprisingly simple!) French onion beef main course has all the hearty robustness and comforting warmth you crave. Topped with crunchy fried onions and loaded with plenty of simple ingredients, it’ll be your new favorite go-to meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when French onion beef is done cooking?
You’ll know this dish is ready when the noodles are al dente, and the beef is cooked through.
Can I make French onion beef ahead of time?
This dish is best made fresh. As the pasta sits, it will continue to absorb the sauce, making it too soft and mushy.
How do I store French onion beef?
This French onion beef recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours. We don’t recommend freezing this dish as the pasta will become too soggy.
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French Onion Beef
This French onion beef recipe is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for a cold winter night.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 2 pounds London broil beef, cut into 1 to 1½-inch cubes
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 32 ounces unsalted beef broth
- 10.5 ounces French onion soup, Campbell’s brand
- 1.1 ounces beefy onion soup, 2.2-ounce box of beefy onion soup mix (Lipton brand)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus additional for garnish)
- 12 ounces egg noodles, Meuller’s brand hearty homestyle
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2.8 ounces crispy fried onions, French’s brand
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the butter, cubed beef pieces, and chopped onion. Cook the onions, and pieces of beef, until the meat is lightly browned on all sides. This will take 7 to 9 minutes. It is ok if there is still some pink to the meat as it will continue to cook in the liquids.
- Once the meat is browned, add to the skillet the unsalted beef broth, can of French onion soup, the contents of the packet of beefy onion soup mix, salt, black pepper, and fresh chopped parsley. Lower the heat to medium and allow the meat to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Once the meat has simmered, stir in the egg noodles.
- Bring the liquids up to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid and allow the noodles to cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until soft. Check the noodles about halfway through cooking and stir them if needed. Be sure that all the noodles are in the liquids.
- Once the noodles are cooked, remove the lid from the skillet, turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream until you get a nice thick sauce.
- Sprinkle the crispy fried onions over the top of the French onion beef noodles and add an additional sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, if desired to garnish.
Notes
- I like to trim any excess fat from the cut of London broil beef before cutting it into cubes. It will sometimes have a piece of “silver skin” on the side that is tough to chew when cooked.
- Searing the meat before adding the broth will lock in the flavor and juices, resulting in tender and delicious beef.
- Make sure to note that you are adding the egg noodles UNCOOKED to the skillet. They will cook while simmering in the broth.
- This dish is best served immediately. As the noodles sit, they will continue to absorb the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 1689mg | Potassium: 1124mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 417IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg
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Comments
Paula Warren says
Can I substitute ground beef?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Paula – I think that would work, enjoy!