With this Paleo French Onion Soup topped with melted yuca dough, you won’t miss the cheese! This perfect pairing is deliciously gratifying in every way!!! Upon baking, the underside of the yuca gets soft and gooey, while the top browns just right! This Paleo variation of this beloved comfort food really hits the spot!

As someone who is gluten and dairy-free, I’ve definitely missed going to restaurants and ordering French Onion Soup. Plain old onion soup in a bowl, with no bread in the middle or gooey cheese on top just doesn’t cut it! I used to really enjoy when the cheese dripped down the side of the crock, hardened during baking, and had to be chipped off the side. It was extra flavorful and crunchy! I’m not going to say that the yuca topper is EXACTLY like that (as my cheese eating daughter insists that it isn’t) but as someone who hasn’t eaten cheese in 6 years, this recipe feels satisfying in that same way. The seasoned yuca dough is soft and can be pulled with your fingers, or easily scooped into a scrumptious spoonful of onion soup…  and the parts that droop down the side harden just right!

Let’s make Paleo French Onion Soup!

To make onion soup

It all starts with the onions!!! I used 6 organic yellow onions. (Full printable recipe below.)

Shred onions in a food processor (or hand slice, if desired.) It looks like a lot of onions, but they shrink significantly when cooked.

In a pan on low heat melt 1/3 cup ghee. Add shredded onions and mix to fully coat with melted ghee. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2-3 thyme sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 3 bay leaves and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until browned and caramelized.

Add 4 cups organic beef broth (or bone broth) and simmer for 30 minutes. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Place into 4 oven-safe ramekins. (I use small Corningware bowls.)

To make yuca toppers

Fresh or frozen yuca can be used to make the yuca toppers.

While soup is simmering, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.

If using fresh yuca, each root must first be peeled and cut into 3-4 pieces before boiling. For more information see: Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca.

For 4 servings, 3/4 pound (about 1 medium sized whole, fresh yuca root or half a bag of frozen yuca) is needed. Place peeled, cut, fresh or frozen yuca into pot of boiling water. (If using frozen yuca do not defrost before boiling.) Return to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. *Do not over-cook! If cooked for too long, yuca becomes mushy and difficult to work with.

Drain water and allow boiled yuca to cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece in half lengthwise to remove stick-like center that runs through the middle.

Chop yuca into chunks.

For each of 4 yuca toppers, place 1/2 cup chopped yuca, 1/2 tsp avocado oil, a pinch of garlic, and a pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon each) into Vitamix (or other food processor) and blend for a few seconds until a dough is formed. (I suggest making the toppers in 4 batches because if more than 1 cup of yuca is placed into Vitamix at a time, it can easily overheat machine.)

Place each dough ball on parchment paper and add 1/2 teaspoon chopped chives.

Roll out each dough ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit the size and shape of your ramekins. *Note: If dough sticks to parchment, place in freezer for 5-10 minutes. This will decrease stickiness and make dough easier to work with.

Place each rolled out yuca topper over each soup filled ramekin.

Place ramekins on baking sheet, brush yuca toppers with avocado oil (to increase browning) and place in preheated oven set to 425 degrees.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. If additional browning is desired, place under the broiler for the last 2 minutes.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

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Print

Paleo French Onion Soup

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

Enjoy this Paleo French Onion Soup topped with melted yuca dough! You won't miss the cheese, as this seasoned dough makes a perfect pair with onion soup. Upon baking, the underside of the yuca gets soft and gooey, while browning on top. A deliciously satisfying Paleo variation of a beloved comfort food. 

Course: Appetizer, brunch, Main Course

Servings: 4

Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca

Ingredients

Onion Soup

• 6 organic yellow onions - shredded
• 1/3 cup organic ghee
• 4 cups organic beef broth (or bone broth)
• 2-3 sprigs fresh organic thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried organic rosemary
• 3 organic bay leaves
• 3 organic garlic cloves - minced
• 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt (Any sea salt can be used. I prefer Himalayan sea salt for its purity and additional mineral content.)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Yuca Toppers

• 2 cups boiled yuca. (About 3/4 pound or half of a small frozen bag. ) Yuca can be purchased fresh or frozen. See: About Yuca: Buying, Storing, Peeling, Cooking Yuca
• 2 tsp avocado oil. (Plus additional to brush tops of dough before placing into oven.)
• Himalayan sea salt - pinch
• garlic powder - pinch
• 1 Tbsp fresh chives

Instructions

Onion Soup Instructions

1. Shred onions in food processor. (Can be done by hand, if needed.)

2. In a pan on low heat, melt ghee. 

3. Add onions and stir to fully coat with melted ghee.  

4. Add salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme sprigs, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. 
   

5. Cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until onions become browned and caramelized.

6. Add beef broth and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. 

7. If needed, add additional salt and pepper to taste. 

8. Spoon onion soup evenly into 4 oven-safe ramekins. (I use small Corningware bowls.)

Yuca Topper Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, if using fresh yuca, remove peel and cut into 3-4 pieces before placing it into pot of boiling water. See: Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca for more information, if needed.

3. If using frozen yuca, do not defrost before placing into pot of boiling water. 

4. Return to a boil, then cook yuca for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Ensure that yuca is fully covered by water throughout boiling. *Do not overcook! Overcooked yuca will become mushy and very difficult to work with. 

5. Drain water and allow yuca to cool.

6. Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise to remove stick-like center that runs through the middle.  

7. Cut yuca into chunks.

8. For each of the 4 yuca toppers, place 1/2 cup yuca, 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of garlic powder (about 1/4 teaspoon each) into Vitamix (or other food processor) and blend for a few seconds until it forms a dough.

9. Place dough onto parchment paper and top with chopped chives.

10. Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit the size and shape of your soup ramekin.

11. Remove dough from parchment and place on top of soup-filled ramekin. *Dough can be very sticky to work with, especially if it's warm. If dough sticks to parchment paper, place it into freezer for 5-10 minutes. This will decrease stickiness and make the dough more manageable.  Click here for other tips on handling sticky dough. 

12. Brush dough with avocado oil to enhance browning.

13. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. If additional browning is desired, place under the broiler for the last 2 minutes. 

14. Enjoy your Paleo French Onion Soup!!!

Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey.  My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol.  Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional.  If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.