Caramelized French Onion Soup Dumplings

# What You’ll Need:

→ Caramelized Onions

01 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

05 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

06 - 1 teaspoon sugar

07 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

08 - 2 tablespoons dry sherry or dry white wine

09 - 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

→ Dumplings

10 - 24 round dumpling wrappers (gyoza or wonton style)

11 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, finely grated

12 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

14 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten for sealing

15 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ Broth Drizzle

16 - 1/2 cup rich vegetable or beef broth

17 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

18 - 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

19 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and pepper, stirring often until softened, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in sugar and thyme, then continue cooking on low heat while stirring frequently until onions are deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Deglaze with sherry or wine and balsamic vinegar, cooking 2 to 3 minutes until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

02 - Place each dumpling wrapper on a clean work surface. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of caramelized onion in the center, followed by a small pinch of Gruyère, Parmesan, and chives. Brush the edges with beaten egg, then fold and pleat to seal in either a half-moon or purse shape. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

03 - Heat a thin layer of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add dumplings in a single layer without crowding and fry until the bottoms are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and immediately cover with a lid to steam for 3 to 4 minutes until wrappers are tender. Remove the lid and cook until bottoms crisp again, approximately 1 minute. Transfer to a serving platter.

04 - In a small saucepan, heat broth, butter, and Worcestershire sauce until the butter melts completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a small spoonful over each dumpling before serving or serve on the side for dipping.

# Additional Tips::

01 -

You get that restaurant-quality caramel-onion depth in a format you can hold in your hand and pop in your mouth.
The contrast between the crispy bottom and the tender, steamy top is genuinely addictive once you taste it.

02 -

The caramelization process cannot be rushed—I learned this by trying to speed it up on high heat, which just burns the onions and tastes bitter instead of sweet.
Your dumpling seal is everything; if you skip brushing with egg or don't press firmly enough, they'll burst open during steaming and you'll lose all that melty cheese magic.

03 -