There are few meals more comforting than a slow-cooked beef brisket surrounded by a rich, savory onion sauce. The best part? You don’t need a complicated ingredient list or hours of hands-on preparation to make it.
This 3-Ingredient French Onion Brisket relies on just three simple ingredients: beef brisket, condensed French onion soup, and dry onion soup mix. Together, they create a flavorful braising liquid that slowly works its way into the beef as it cooks.
The result is incredibly tender brisket with a deep onion flavor and plenty of delicious sauce for spooning over every slice. It’s an excellent choice for Sunday dinner, family gatherings, potlucks, or holidays when you want a hearty main dish without spending hours preparing ingredients.
The oven does most of the work. Once everything is assembled and covered, you simply let the brisket cook low and slow until it reaches that wonderfully tender texture.
Why This Easy Brisket Recipe Works
Brisket is a flavorful cut of beef, but it contains a significant amount of connective tissue. Cooking it slowly at a relatively low temperature gives that connective tissue time to soften, transforming the meat from tough to tender.
The condensed French onion soup serves several purposes at once. It provides moisture for braising while bringing concentrated onion flavor to the dish. The dry onion soup mix adds additional seasoning and savory depth without requiring you to chop onions, measure multiple spices, or prepare a separate sauce.
It’s a great example of how a few convenient ingredients can create a surprisingly satisfying meal.
There are also two important finishing steps that can make a big difference:
Let the brisket rest before slicing. This gives the juices time to redistribute through the meat.
Slice against the grain. Cutting across the direction of the muscle fibers makes the brisket much easier to chew and gives each slice a more tender texture.
Ingredients
You only need three main ingredients to make this simple French onion brisket.
Beef Brisket
Plan on using approximately 3½ to 4½ pounds of beef brisket.
The flat, or first cut, is a good option if you prefer relatively uniform slices. A whole brisket can also be used, although the cooking time may vary depending on its size and thickness.
If your brisket has an especially thick layer of exterior fat, trim some of it away. You don’t need to remove every bit of fat—a modest layer can help protect the meat and contribute flavor as it cooks.
Condensed French Onion Soup
Use 2 cans of condensed French onion soup.
Do not add water to dilute the soup. For this recipe, the condensed soup is used as part of the concentrated braising liquid.
As it cooks with the beef, the soup becomes a savory onion sauce that can be served over the sliced brisket.
Dry Onion Soup Mix
You’ll also need 1 packet, approximately 1 ounce, of dry onion soup mix.
This convenient ingredient provides seasoning and extra onion flavor without the need to prepare fresh onions or measure several individual seasonings.
Because both the canned soup and dry soup mix can contain a considerable amount of sodium, it’s best to wait until the brisket is finished before deciding whether it needs additional salt.
How To Make 3-Ingredient French Onion Brisket
1. Prepare the Oven and Brisket
Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F.
Use paper towels to pat the brisket dry. If there are any unusually thick sections of exterior fat, trim them down while leaving enough to help keep the meat moist during the long cooking process.
Place the brisket fat-side up inside a large Dutch oven or another deep, oven-safe baking dish.
2. Add the French Onion Ingredients
Pour the two cans of condensed French onion soup over the brisket.
Next, sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top of the meat.
There’s no need to add additional water. The condensed soup provides the liquid needed for the covered braising process.
3. Cover the Dish Well
Place the lid securely on the Dutch oven. If you’re using a baking dish, cover it tightly with aluminum foil.