Quick French Onion Soup

From EatingWell: May/June 2008 — Subscribe Now!

French onion soup is a favorite but it usually isn't substantial enough to make a complete meal. We've solved this problem by adding fiber-rich chickpeas to a broth flavored with sherry and three kinds of onions. Of course, we didn't forget the gooey topping, we've just made it a little lighter and a lot easier to prepare at home—simply top toasted whole-wheat bread with cheese and pour the soup on to melt it.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I made this vegetarian by using a not-beef bouillon, which resulted in a stock that was not rich enough for my husband and me. We still enjoyed the soup, but it wasn't quite a substitute for the French onion soup of our pre-vegetarian...

6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced
2 cups chopped spring onions, or leeks, whites and light green parts only
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup dry sherry, (see Ingredient Note)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium beef broth
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 cup minced fresh chives, or scallions
6 slices whole-wheat country bread
1 cup shredded Gruyère, or fontina cheese

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sweet onions and stir to coat. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add spring onions (or leeks), garlic and thyme and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in sherry and pepper; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in broth and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chives (or scallions).
Meanwhile, toast bread and divide it among 6 bowls; top with cheese. Ladle the soup over the bread and cheese and serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don't use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, purchase dry sherry that's sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

Nutrition

Per serving: 374 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 20 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 18 g protein; 6 g fiber; 591 mg sodium; 555 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium, Folate & Vitamin C (25% daily value).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat