Onion Soup Provencal

A Provencal take on French onion soup that starts with a staggering 8 pounds of slowly caramelized yellow onions and builds flavor through fresh tomatoes, dry red wine, a bouquet of herbs, and an unexpected secret weapon: barley miso.

The onions cook low and slow for 30 minutes until golden, then simmer in water with bay leaves, thyme, and celery seeds for another 30 minutes. That first hour builds the deep, sweet onion base. The Provencal twist comes after: fresh skinned tomatoes, red wine, basil, and marjoram go in off the heat so their flavors stay bright and vibrant rather than cooked down and muted.

Barley miso whisked in at the end adds an umami richness that mimics the depth of a traditional beef-based onion soup without any meat. Don’t boil after adding miso. High heat kills the beneficial enzymes and dulls the flavor.

Chef Tips

• Slice onions thin and uniform so they caramelize evenly. Thick chunks brown unevenly and some stay crunchy.
• Golden, not dark brown. You want sweet, soft onions, not burnt ones. Keep the heat low and stir occasionally.
• Scald and skin the fresh tomatoes for just 10 seconds. Longer cooks them and they lose their fresh texture.
• Whisk the miso into a ladleful of warm broth first to dissolve it smoothly, then stir that back into the pot.

Variations

• Use beef or vegetable stock instead of water for a more intense broth.
• Swap Emmentaler for Gruyere, the classic French onion soup cheese.
• Add a splash of sherry vinegar at the end for extra brightness.