How To Pick A Main Course To Go With French Onion Soup

French onion soup is a timeless comforting dish filled with tender caramelized onions and savory beef broth steeped with herbs, perfectly topped with delectably gooey cheese melted over baguette slices. Whether you're making an easy French onion soup at home or dining at one of the best restaurants for French onion soup in NYC, we're here to guide you in how to pick a main course to pair with the oniony soup.

Since the flavors of French onion soup can be bold, especially due to the gruyere (and yes, you do have to use gruyere cheese for French onion soup!), it's wise to pair it with a main course that doesn't have too many wild or competing flavors. This isn't to say that you should select a bland, flavorless dish, but rather one that complements the flavors of the soup. A small cut of beef braised in red wine with root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, or carrots would make a substantial main course to accompany the French onion soup, or a cut of pork like a pork chop or a simple roasted tenderloin dish.

If the portion of French onion soup at a restaurant is large and filling — the bread and cheese in the soup can make it a substantial starter — you may not be looking for such a hearty entree. You may wish to have another starter as your main. Many French restaurants have bone marrow and toasted sourdough bread as an appetizer, which would be a stellar choice to follow the soup, as the flavors are similar and both items can be a bit indulgent.

If you're looking for a more casual main course, a steak sandwich on a baguette with arugula and horseradish would pair perfectly with French onion soup, as the steak mirrors the beef broth in the soup, and the horseradish and arugula have spicy, peppery notes to cut through the richness of the entire meal. Beverage-wise, both red and white wine pair well, so you can choose whichever goes best with the rest of your meal. A French white wine like pinot gris or a chardonnay would be a lovely pairing, as would a medium-bodied red wine like pinot noir or a glass of seasonal Beaujolais nouveau.

For those who like a curveball, the main course could actually be the French onion soup itself, and if you're making it at home you could serve extra bread alongside for those who need extra carbs to fill up. The cheese and beef stock combined provide a healthy dose of protein, fat, and salt for a meal. Serve a bright, crisp simple salad with an herbed vinaigrette alongside or afterwards. If you'd like to really lean into the Frenchness of the meal, opt for a salade Lyonnaise, the classic French bistro salad that deserves a spot on your table. Salad Lyonnaise contains the peppery lettuce frisee with a poached egg, bacon lardons and a tangy, mustardy dressing, making it the perfect bright, light, contrasting pairing to a French onion soup. 

If you're making the hearty starter at home, you may want to go fully traditional and buy a set of 4 ceramic French onion soup bowls to serve it in for the full Gallic effect.