This French Onion Beef recipe turns a simple beef blade roast into a rich, tender, and flavorful meal. Slow-cooked with caramelized onions, garlic, and thyme, it’s the ultimate comfort food dinner — delicious on toast or served in a hearty bowl.
For the longest time, I avoided cooking any cut of beef beyond ground beef. It felt safe. Predictable. Easy to brown, easy to season, and hard to mess up. But also… can we even call ground beef a cut of beef? (Let’s be honest — not really.)
Everything changed when my friend Nita and I were working on a project with Canada Beef for our baby and toddler focused blog, Happy Healthy Eaters. They asked us to create a baby-friendly recipe using beef blade roast — and I’ll admit, my first thought was, “Wait… blade what now?”
But I’m always up for a challenge, so I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. The result? My Sumac Beef recipe — which, to this day, sits firmly in my “Top 5 Favourite Meals Ever” list.
That recipe gave me the confidence to start experimenting more with blade roast, and this time, I went full cozy-mode with a French Onion twist. Think caramelized onions, tender beef, and that deep, rich flavour that makes you close your eyes with the first bite.
It’s basically French Onion Soup’s heartier cousin — all the comfort, none of the broth. My go-to way to enjoy it is on a thick slice of toasted sourdough, loaded with French Onion Beef, and topped with melty Gruyère or Emmentaler cheese. Pop it under the broiler until it’s golden and bubbly, and you’ve got yourself pure magic.
Why You’ll Love This French Onion Beef
This recipe is the definition of cozy comfort food. The onions cook down into a silky, sweet base that soaks into every bite of tender beef. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner but impressive enough to serve to guests — especially when you serve it on toast like an open-faced sandwich or spoon it over barley for a hearty bowl. However you plate it, one thing’s for sure: this dish will make your kitchen smell amazing and your taste buds very, very happy.
RECIPE FAQ
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
There’s nothing better than cooking once and reaping the rewards later! This recipe makes about twelve servings, which means I can split it into three separate meals and freeze a few portions for those nights when I just don’t feel like cooking.
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes! You can easily adapt this recipe for a slow cooker or Instant Pot. For the slow cooker, brown the beef and onions first, then cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–4 hours. You may need to add more liquid. For the Instant Pot, use the sauté function for the onions and beef, then pressure cook for about 45 minutes with a natural release.
What cut of beef can I use instead of blade roast?
Blade roast works beautifully because it becomes tender and flavourful when slow-cooked. If you can’t find it, try chuck roast, cross rib roast, or brisket — they all perform similarly in this type of recipe.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes — in fact, the flavours get even better the next day! Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat before serving.
Do I need to use wine in the recipe?
Nope! The wine just adds a touch of acidity and depth. You can substitute an equal amount of water, beef broth, or even a splash of apple cider vinegar for a similar effect.
Slow-Cooked French Onion Beef
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef blade roast
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 5 large onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dry white wine or water
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp Beef Better Than Bouillon
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp thyme
For serving:
- Sourdough (or other hearty) bread or cooked barley
- Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Pat roast dry with paper towel. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or enamelled cast-iron roaster; brown beef all over, turning with tongs, for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the wine (or water) and deglaze the pan. This means to scrape up any of the bits of beef that have stuck to the pot.
- Add the onions to the pot, and cook until the onions are soft.
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add in the water, bouillon, worcestershire sauce, salt, and thyme.
- Return the beef to the pot.
- Cover and bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat easily comes apart when pulled between two forks.
To Serve as Sandwiches
- Toast slices of sourdough (or other. hearty) bread.
- Pile on some of the beef.
- Top with a slice of Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese.
- Place on a sheet pan and under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly.
To Serve as Bowls
- Add cooked barley to a bowl, top with a scoop of the beef mixture, and some grated Gruyere or Emmentaler. Microwave until cheese is melted. Alternatively, use oven safe bowls and broil until cheese is bubbly.
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