French Onion soup comes from humble beginnings. It started as a peasant soup made from onions, stale bread, and water. The modern version originated in Paris, France in the 18th century, featuring beef broth and caramelized onions. An interest in French cuisine revitalized the soup’s popularity in the US in the 1960s. The classic deep, rich flavors characterizing the soup (caramelized onions, beef broth, Gruyere cheese, and sherry) are showing up in a variety of other dishes. And I have been trying every one I can find!

Taking the flavor profile from the soup and infusing them into a cheese ball is much simpler to accomplish than it may sound. And it makes for a convenient and delicious appetizer around the holidays. Caramelized onions and Gruyere cheese is easily mixed into some cream cheese. A small amount of sherry vinegar is used here to deglaze the pan the onions are cooked in and also gets easily incorporated into the cheese ball. Even the beef broth is not a stumbling block for this recipe. Using dry onion soup and dip mix (which contains beef broth granules) does the trick. All the rich wonderful flavor of French Onion Soup is transformed into a holiday appetizer in this cheese ball!

French Onion Cheese Ball (adapted from myrecipes.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, 40 minutes;  Active Time: 10 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Chilling Time: 1 hour; Yield: Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry onion soup and dip mix
• loaf of sourdough bread or a French baguette
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh thyme or rosemary

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan, stirring frequently, until the liquid is released and the onions are opaque.

Turn the heat to low and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are slightly brown and lightly caramelized.

Stir in the sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the onions to room temperature.

While the onions cool, combine the cream cheese and grated Gruyere in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

Add the onion mixture and onion soup mix into the cheese mixture and process until everything is evenly incorporated.

Scrape the cream cheese mixture from the processor onto waxed or parchment paper and shape it into a ball. Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it can be easily rolled.

Coarsely chop about 1/2 of the bread or baguette into small pieces. Place the pieces in the clean bowl of the food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter to the pan. When the butter melts, stir in the fresh bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until the crumbs are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Toss the bread crumbs with the chopped herbs.

Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Roll the cheese ball in the crumb mixture to evenly coat it.

Place the cheese ball on a serving platter. Slice the remainder of the bread and toast it if desired. Serve the cheese ball with the bread.

A classic French soup is reimagined into a cheese ball for the perfect holiday appetizer!  ~Linda

French Onion Cheese Ball (adapted from myrecipes.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, 40 minutes;  Active Time: 10 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Chilling Time: 1 hour; Yield: Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry onion soup and dip mix
• loaf of sourdough bread or a French baguette
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan, stirring frequently, until the liquid is released and the onions are opaque. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are slightly brown and caramelized. Stir in the sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the onions to room temperature.

While the onions cool, combine the cream cheese and grated Gruyere in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

Add the onion mixture and onion soup mix into the cheese mixture and process until everything is evenly incorporated. Scrape the cream cheese mixture from the processor onto waxed or parchment paper and shape it into a ball. Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it can be easily rolled.

Coarsely chop about 1/2 of the bread or baguette into small pieces. Place the pieces in the clean bowl of the food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter to the pan. When the butter melts, stir in the fresh bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until the crumbs are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Toss the bread crumbs with the chopped herbs.

Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Roll the cheese ball in the crumb mixture to evenly coat it.

Place the cheese ball on a serving platter. Slice the remainder of the bread and toast it if desired. Serve the cheese ball with the bread.