I Tried This Dad’s Famous Irish Onion Soup and It’s the Coziest Fall Dinner

I’ve always been a sucker for fall. As someone who grew up in Florida, I couldn’t get enough of the season’s depiction in television and movies. Every bit of it intrigued me, and it was a huge part of why I moved north after finishing school in the first place.  

Today, as someone who has settled in quite well to the seasonal patterns of New York City, I enjoy finding meals that fit autumn to a T. Comfort foods that fill you up, like stews, casseroles, and soups, for example, are all types of foods that are right up my alley this time of year. 

Recently, I came across an Irish onion soup recipe by Theresa Miler on Taste of Home that immediately piqued my interest. This was an original dish that was inspired by Miller’s father, using contemporary ingredients to match its historically robust flavor. I’d been feeling a bit under the weather up until recently, so I was eager to go ahead and try this recipe out, as I myself could totally use a little taste of home right about now. 

Get the recipe: Irish Onion Soup from Taste of Home

This is an easy recipe with only a handful of steps and about a 45-minute cook time. Start prepping by dicing your potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes and preheating your oven to 425°F. Place the diced potatoes onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some salt on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender and golden. 

While the potatoes bake, use a Dutch oven to sauté the onions in butter until tender. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions for 30 more minutes or until golden-brown, stirring periodically. When ready, add the mushrooms, sunflower kernels, rosemary, pepper, and salt, stirring together until well-combined. Cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until the mushrooms appear to be tender. Stir in the broth, beer, brown sugar, and potatoes and continue to heat throughout. 

Top your bread slices with a combination of goat cheese and white cheddar, then place on a baking sheet to be heated in the oven. Broil the bread slices from the heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted to satisfaction. Serve the soup immediately in bowls and top it with the cheese toast. 

Truthfully, I went into this meal with a slight bias: I’ve been under the weather for the past week. Couple my extreme need for a comfort meal with the fact that the fall season has finally begun, and I knew before I even started that I would be a fan of Irish onion soup. 

The robust nature of this dish makes it an instant classic for me, and I was a fan of the sweet aromas that spread throughout the house as the onions sautéed and the mushrooms cooked down. I can see how this recipe could be passed down from generation to generation and still retain its excellent flavor. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out just how delicious the combination of goat cheese and white cheddar on toast was while dipping it into the soup. I couldn’t get enough of that savory goodness. 

• No beer, no problem. If you either don’t have access to or don’t prefer to use a nice stout beer for this recipe, don’t feel obligated to do so. Alternatively, just use a little extra chicken stock in place of the stout and the results will still be just as delicious.
• Try your own variations. Since this is a pretty straightforward recipe, it wouldn’t hurt to try your own variations of it. The addition of some wild rice or your own personal favorite seasonings could be the start to taking this recipe to the next level. Have fun with it!