Georgia’s Best Casserole is a hearty and comforting dish that pays homage to the state’s Southern roots. With layers of sweet, caramelized onions, melted Gruyère cheese, and a crusty baguette topping, this casserole captures the essence of a classic French onion soup, but with a twangy, deeply Southern, comfort-food twist. Georgia’s Best Casserole is perfect for any occasion, whether you’re having a big, ‘ole boot scootin’ boogie or simply corralling the family around your table. Bring a taste of the back country roads to your table… it’s sure to make every day feel free and easy!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 5 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (16-ounce) baguette, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup sherry
- 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Step 3 –Add the onions, the salt, the pepper, the thyme sprigs, the parsley, and the bay leaves to the butter and cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden-brown, about 1 hour.
Step 4 –Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Step 5 –Bake the slices until they are lightly toasted, about 12 minutes.
Step 6 –Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, the parsley sprigs, and the bay leaves from the onion mixture.
Step 7 –Add the flour to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden, about 2 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the broth and the sherry to the onion mixture and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Step 9 –Boil the onion mixture, stirring constantly, until it has slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 10 –Layer 1/2 of the toasted baguette slices in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 11 –Evenly spoon the onion mixture over the bread layer.
Step 12 –Evenly top the onion mixture with remaining baguette slices.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the Gruyère cheese.
Step 14 –Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 15 –Switch the oven to broil and carefully remove the foil.
Step 16 –Broil the casserole until the cheese is bubbly, about 3 minutes.
Step 17 –Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the casserole and serve.