French onion soup is an immensely famous soup, and rightfully so. It features fried, caramelized onions cooked in delectable beef stock. It is typically served with croutons or bread on top and has a stunning cheese coating that enhances its presentation. It’s safe to say that this soup is incredibly rich and flavorsome. However, it’s usually just enjoyed as a starter or side.
Sometimes, you can be left wanting more when you enjoy this soup. Luckily, there are plenty of foods that you can pair with it. You can enjoy lighter fare with it, such as side salads or roasted veggies. Or, if you need something more satisfying to ease your hunger pains, you can pair it with proteins such as scallops, chicken, or even pork tenderloin. On this list, we have 20 fantastic ideas that are easy to make. With these dishes, you’ll have a wonderful, fulfilling meal in no time!
1. Pan Seared Shrimp
Seared shrimp is a perfect complement to the rich flavors of French onion soup. It adds a heartier component to the meal. You’ll need clean shrimp, lime juice, sunflower oil, and garlic to make it. Add salt and pepper to taste. This recipe is very convenient as it takes only 10 minutes to prepare, allowing you to focus on making the soup.
2. The Best Dinner Rolls
Sometimes, all you need to complete a meal is some homemade bread! These dinner rolls are incredibly soft and buttery, perfect to use as a side. You can dip it in the soup, and it tastes wonderful. Not to mention, this is a simple recipe even for beginner home cooks. It requires flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, and butter. You’ll also need an egg!
3. Maple Bacon Carrots
You’ll love how these sweet and savory carrots taste with rich French onion soup. This recipe is simple to make, as you only need three ingredients: carrots, thin-sliced bacon, and maple syrup. This side dish also has a unique spiraled appearance since you wrap the bacon around the carrot so nicely!
4. Garlic Parmesan Duchess Potatoes
Cooking Classy shared an elegant mashed potato recipe that can be beautifully piped using a star tip. The recipe calls for Yukon gold potatoes, salt, pepper, butter, garlic, and half and half. Adding some parmesan cheese can also enhance the flavor. These mashed potatoes are delicious and have a unique and eye-catching display.
5. Baked Bruschetta Chicken
Our recipe for Baked Bruschetta Chicken has deep flavors that pair perfectly with French onion soup. From the balsamic vinegar to the fresh basil and garlic, you can make a hearty and impressive dinner with this. Any guests that you have over will surely be impressed! The chicken also has mozzarella cheese, Roma tomatoes, garlic, bread, and onions, aside from the seasoning rub you make.
6. Caramelized Onion Pasta
Can’t get enough of the onion flavor? Make this caramelized onion pasta to accompany your soup! This dish has intricate flavors of caramelized yellow onions, dry white wine, vegetable stock, oregano, butter, and parsley. The recipe suggests sprinkling on freshly grated parmesan cheese when you serve it! This recipe makes four servings and is great for a small family.
7. Sauteed Garlic Broccolini
You can use a simple side like this garlic broccolini when you want your meal to feel as light and refreshing as the soup. The fresh broccolini tastes heavenly with the rich beef stock in the soup! The best part is that this recipe is a breeze, as it only takes 15 minutes. You’ll need ingredients such as garlic, parsley, lemon, butter, and, of course, the broccolini.
8. Perfect Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes are a great side dish for dinner. You can even top them with delicious French onion soup while enjoying the meal! Use other toppings on the potatoes, such as shredded cheese, bacon, chives, or butter and cheese. However, remember that baked potatoes take some time to prepare flawlessly. This recipe may take up to an hour and a half to complete. Although time-consuming, it is very simple to make!
9. French Dip Burgers
Instead of dipping these burgers in the au jus that the recipe suggests, you can dip them in the decadent French onion soup! These French dip burgers also have caramelized onions, making them perfect to pair with the soup. These aren’t just your average burger. With hints of arugula, horseradish, gruyere cheese, and 80% lean ground beef patties, you’ll be blown away by its flavor profile!
10. Caesar Salad
Did someone say soup and salad? Sometimes, when you’re enjoying a complex soup, you just want a simple salad to accompany it. This classic Caesar salad will never let you down! Rather than store-bought Caesar dressing, the recipe shows you how to make your own with hints of Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, and more. For the base of the salad, use romaine lettuce and croutons.
11. French Onion Chicken
Stick with the French onion theme and enjoy this French onion chicken alongside your soup! This recipe contains balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, thyme, and onions to complement the chicken. It also has light gouda shredded cheese, which adds even more richness and upgrades its appearance. This recipe makes four servings!
12. Kale Salad
Here’s another salad for you to try out. It is full of vitamins and nutrients because of the whole ingredients. For instance, when you enjoy the salad, you will eat curly kale, dried cranberries, hemp hearts, and almonds. It also has a homemade dressing with 0-sugar Maple syrup, mustard, and a splash of apple cider vinegar to offset the sweetness.
13. Steak Tips in Air Fryer
Did you know you can make steak in the air fryer? Food Folks and Fun shared this incredible recipe that we believe is perfect to pair with a French onion soup. And using your air fryer appliance makes it easier than ever. You need steak, butter, Worcester sauce, steak seasoning, and other herbs. From start to finish, this recipe takes just over 20 minutes!
14. Buttery Garlic Seared Scallops
Whip up a quick and easy dish of buttery-seared scallops with garlic, lemon, parsley, and other seasonings to enjoy with French onion soup. This recipe takes just 15 minutes in total, and it serves four people! Since the scallops are so tiny, you can dip them in the soup. All of the flavors will be bursting between the caramelized onions, broth, garlic, and hints of fresh lemon juice and parsley.
15. The Best Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Looking for a family-friendly option? Walder Wellness has this solution for you with this incredible gourmet grilled cheese. This isn’t any grilled cheese. It has fresh sourdough, camembert cheese, aged sharp cheddar, fresh thyme, and lemon juice. The surprise ingredient is the fresh honey crisp apple, which gives the sandwich a nice crunch and sweetness! Dunk this in the French onion soup, which might become your new favorite meal.
16. Mushroom Risotto
Combining mushroom risotto and French onion soup into one meal is a fantastic idea for chilly nights. The simple recipe has chicken stock, butter, saffron, onions, and garlic. You’ll also need white mushrooms, baby Bella mushrooms, and parmesan cheese. If you wish, you can use some beef instead of chicken stock to make the two dishes even more complimentary.
17. Baked Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is a comfort food, to say the least. Why not pair it with another comfort food like French onion soup? Believe it or not, this recipe doesn’t take forever to make! You only need about 35 minutes. And it makes six hefty servings. You’ll need brown sugar, paprika, garlic, onion, and chili powder to season the pork tenderloin. Finish it off by dusting it with chopped parsley just before serving.
18. Arugula Salad with Lemon Zest, Parmesan, and Balsamic Dressing
This delicious salad is a perfect addition to dinner with its simple yet refreshing combination of arugula, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemon zest. We said it once, and we’ll say it again: soup and salad is a timeless combination! Use fresh parmesan cheese for best results, which you can grate yourself. It makes all the difference!
19. Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts are already delicious, but when you include honey and balsamic in the mix, they become even more marvelous. This incredible recipe by Krolls Korner shows how delicious Brussels sprouts can be! You’ll need some butter, green onions, lemon zest, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, and balsamic to make it. Roast the vegetables until they’re perfectly golden brown!
20. Garlic Bacon and Cheese Pull-Apart Bread
Our cheesy pull-apart bread is perfect for serving at the table since everyone can rip off however much they want and dip it in their soup! The best part is that you don’t have to make the dough homemade. Instead, you can utilize a package of Pillsbury biscuits. You’ll also need garlic spread, bacon, parmesan cheese, and fresh garlic! This recipe takes just 20 minutes.
What to serve with french onion soup (15 simple ideas)
Ingredients
- 1-7.5 oz package pillsbury biscuits, from the value 4 pack If you can’t find that size you can use a regular sized pack but keep in mind points might go up a bit.
- 1 Tbsp melted garlic spread, store bought, as alternative you can use melted butter with garlic salt
- 2 Tbsp bacon crumbs
- 2 Tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves diced fresh garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, spray your bundt pan and set aside. If you don’t have a bundt pan you could probably use a loaf pan it just obviously wont be a circle.
- Cut your biscuit into 6 pieces each.
- Melt your garlic spread. In a small bowl gently mix your biscuits with all your ingredients.
- Place pieces into your bundt pan using your hands, yes it will be a little messy but you can evenly spread it better.
- Bake in oven for approximately 12-15 minutes, checking on it towards the end.
- Flip over pan, some pieces may fall out of place but can easily be put back together once its on your plate. Serve with your favorite light dip. Makes 6 servings at 4 smart points each,3pp. (points does not include dip)
- Nutritional info per serving (1/6th) Calories 118.. Fat 4g.. Sat fat 1g..Carbs 16.8g…Fiber 0.6g.. Sugars 1.7g.. Protein 4g
