Description
French Onion Soup Bites are delightful puff pastry parcels filled with sweet, caramelized onions and melted gruyere cheese, perfect as an elegant appetizer or snack. These bite-sized treats combine the rich flavors of traditional French onion soup with the flakiness of puff pastry, garnished with fresh thyme for an extra herbal note.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry - thawed
Onion Filling
- 3 medium sweet onions - thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp dry sherry or red wine vinegar
Toppings
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese
- 1 tbsp thyme - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375℉. Lightly grease a 24-cavity mini muffin pan and set it aside to prepare for baking.
- Caramelize Onions: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the thinly sliced sweet onions and toss to separate. Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and start to brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle sugar and black pepper over the onions; if they cook too quickly, lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in dry sherry or red wine vinegar, then remove from heat.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: While the onions cook, lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet slightly. Using a sharp knife, cut the sheet into 24 equal small squares.
- Assemble Bites: Press each puff pastry square into a cavity of the mini muffin pan, forming little cups. Spoon about one tablespoon of the caramelized onions into each pastry cup, then sprinkle with shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese on top.
- Bake: Bake the assembled bites in the preheated oven for 22 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. Keep an eye to prevent burning.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and let the bites cool slightly. Garnish with chopped thyme. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use Swiss cheese if gruyere is unavailable; it provides a similar melt and flavor.
- Dry sherry can be substituted with red wine or balsamic vinegar if preferred.
- Allow onions to caramelize slowly for best flavor; rushing this step impacts the sweetness.
- Puff pastry must be thawed to room temperature for easy handling and even baking.
- These bites are best served fresh but can be reheated gently in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
