Description
French Onion Soup Bites are delightful mini puff pastry cups filled with rich, caramelized sweet onions, a splash of dry sherry, and topped with melted Gruyere or Swiss cheese, all baked to golden perfection and garnished with fresh thyme. These savory bites are perfect appetizers for gatherings or a sophisticated snack.
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
Topping
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese
- 1 tbsp thyme - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 375℉. Lightly grease a 24-cavity mini muffin pan and set aside.
- Caramelize onions: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the thinly sliced onions and toss to separate. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and begin to brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle sugar and black pepper over the onions during cooking. Reduce heat to medium-low if onions cook too quickly. Stir in dry sherry or red wine vinegar and remove from heat. Transfer onions to a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare puff pastry: Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet to slightly flatten. Using a knife, cut the pastry evenly into 24 small squares.
- Assemble bites: Press one puff pastry square into each cavity of the mini muffin pan. Spoon approximately one tablespoon of the caramelized onions into each pastry cup. Sprinkle each with a bit of shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese.
- Bake: Bake the bites in the preheated oven for 22 minutes or until the puff pastry is puffed, golden brown, and the cheese is melted. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven and garnish with chopped thyme. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use dry sherry for more authentic flavor, but red wine vinegar works well as a substitute.
- Gruyere cheese gives a nutty richness, but Swiss cheese is a milder alternative.
- Make sure to cook onions low and slow to achieve proper caramelization without burning.
- These bites are best served fresh but can be reheated gently in the oven to retain crispness.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin pan, use mini tart pans or a regular muffin tin and adjust baking time accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
