This French Onion Rice recipe combines the rich flavors of caramelized onions with tender rice grains. It's cheesy, it's savory, its got a whole lot of flavor, it's everything you want in a side dish.
This blog post and recipe is sponsored by Success Rice. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you so much for supporting brands that make A Paige Of Positivity possible.
Table of Contents
Cheesy, Savory Onion Rice
If you’ve had French Onion Soup, you know how good the onion and gruyere cheese combination is. The slight sweetness of the caramelized onions alongside the saltiness of the shredded cheese is unmatched.
Two insanely delicious foods come together as an epic pairing, and with this recipe I’ve taken that classic pairing and put it into a savory rice dish.
There’s plenty of texture and obviously flavor, too, making this a rice recipe you’ll want to come back to again and again. And just like French Onion Soup, we’re using beef broth to take the flavors to the next level.
This delicious French Onion Rice pairs well with a variety of dishes at the dinner table. Juicy red meat, tender chicken, grilled shrimp, you name it. It’s a lovely side dish for the holidays, when cozy comfort foods are exactly what we’re looking for.
Looking for more rice recipes? Also try this Butternut Squash Herb Rice or this Parmesan Rice which I know you’ll love, too.
Recipe Ingredients
This flavorful rice is surprisingly made with just a handful of basic ingredients.
- White Rice - Success Rice is my favorite rice, but all types of rice will do: brown rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, etc. If you're starting with uncooked rice (not boil-in-bag), you'll need about 1 and ⅓ cups.
- Butter - Provides richness. I suggest this over a cooking oil.
- Coconut Aminos - Adds more savoriness. Can substitute for soy sauce if thats what you have available.
- Gruyere Cheese - Gruyère is a popular Swiss cheese that is known for its rich, nutty flavor and smooth texture. The classic for French Onion Soup, so it belongs in the rice, too
- Beef Broth - Can use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead, but beef gives a more classic french onion flavor.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dairy free? Skip the cheese and use a dairy-free version or ¼ cup nutritional yeast. You can use olive oil instead of butter, or plant based.
- Switch up the cheese! Gruyere is classic on French Onion Soup, but this rice recipe would also be tasty with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Swiss. Even a sharp white cheddar would be tasty.
- Make it the main course by by adding some ground beef to the rice to make a full meal with plenty of protein and tons of flavor.
- Note: I don't recommend substituting cauliflower rice in this recipe. Success Boil-in-Bag rice is the key to this recipe!
How to Make This Recipe
1. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to melt. Then add the large mandolin sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Turn the stove to low heat and cover. Stir 4-5 times and add a pinch of salt each time to avoid burning. Low and slow (and salt) is KEY for the ultimate caramelization of onions.
2. After 45 minutes, start preparing the Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice. Add the beef broth to a sauce pot and cook the White rice according to box instructions.
2. When the onions are finished caramelizing (~45-55 minutes) and are golden brown, add the ½ of the shredded gruyere cheese to the pan.
3. Mix the cheese around to let it melt and get a little crisp and golden.
4. Pour the cooked rice on top of the cheesy onions and top with remaining gruyere cheese. Stir together and add ¼ cup remaining beef broth, pepper and Worcestershire. Garnish with fresh herbs and/or green onion (optional) and enjoy!
What are the Best Onions for caramelizing?
Yellow onions are commonly considered the best choice for caramelizing. They have a good balance of sweetness and a robust flavor that develops well during the caramelization process.
However, you can experiment with other varieties like sweet onions or red onions for slightly different flavor profiles. Sweet onions will turn out more mild, whereas red will have a bit more bite.
Pro Tip
- For the most perfect caramelized onions, you want to go “low and slow”. Low heat over a longer period of cooking time will allow the flavors to develop more deeply and prevent burning.
- Additionally, continually adding a pinch of salt throughout the cook time (instead of all at once), I've found to give a more robust flavor, rather than the salt feeling like an afterthought.
Recipe FAQs
This rice will hold up well in the fridge for up to five days. I love making it for meal prep! Make a batch (or double batch) and throw some cooked protein on top for lunches throughout the week. You could also freeze this in an airtight container or individual servings in Ziploc bags. Then, when you’re ready to enjoy, thaw and put back in the skillet to warm and crisp up a bit.
I always reach for Success Boil-in-Bag Rice. It’s just 1 ingredient and takes just 10 minutes to make. You simply boil the rice right in the bag over medium-high heat and it turns out perfectly fluffy EVERY time. I've heard of the magic of a rice cooker, but once you try rice from Success, you won’t look back!
It’s a spin on the viral TikTok Recipe that takes all of the flavors and taste of Classic French Onion Soup, but in Pasta Form. French Onion Rice is an even easier version than pasta and the perfect side dish.
Serving Suggestions
Make it a meal any night of the week! This French Onion Rice would make for an incredible side dish to this Ninja Foodi Grilled Chicken and this Warm Brussel Sprout Salad or these Parmesan Carrot Fries.
More Recipes You'll Love
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you really like the recipe consider leaving a comment further down. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
French Onion Rice
Equipment
- Sauce pot
- cheese grater
- garlic mincer
- spatula
- non-stick skillet
- mandolin
Ingredients
- 2 bags Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice, ~4 cups cooked rice
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 large white onions, thinly sliced with a mandolin
- 8 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
- 3 cups beef broth
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- fresh sage and/or green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to melt.
- Then add the large mandolin sliced onions and a pinch of salt.
- Turn the stove to low heat and cover. Stir every 8-10 minutes to avoid burning and add a pinch of salt each time. Low and slow (and salt) is KEY for the ultimate caramelization of onions.
- After 45 minutes, start preparing the Success Boil-in-Bag White rice. Add the beef broth to a sauce pot and cook the White rice according to box instructions.
- Once the rice is finished cooking, set aside ¼ cup of beef broth before straining.
- When the onions are finished caramelizing (~45-55 minutes) and are golden brown, add the ½ of the gruyere cheese to the pan.
- Pour the cooked rice on top of the cheesy onions and top with remaining gruyere cheese. Stir together and add ¼ cup remaining beef broth, pepper and worcestershire.
- Garnish with fresh sage and/or green onion and enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find French Onion Rice calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Courtney Paige says
The caramelized onions in this recipe -- oh my gosh. They're drinkable its SO tasty. I couldn't stop eating.
Amy says
I don’t think it matters if you generally like mushrooms or not — this dish is delicious. Honestly, the flavor is so rich and tasty!
Josh says
Simple and delicious!
Sydney Van Acker says
I made Courtney's French Onion Potatoes last year for Thanksgiving and i am going to do this French Onion Rice this year for Christmas. I love this flavor combo! so excited to try