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What joy the gospel gives me. I can approach the throne of God with confidence, not because I've done a good job at my spiritual duties, but because I'm clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. ~ C.J. Mahaney

YOC Soup


While stationed in Japan in the 1970's, my family was introduced to this delicious soup. A creamy onion soup, it was very popular at the Yokota Officer's Club, hence the handle "YOC Soup". My mother was able to procure this recipe and it quickly became a family favorite. There is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of this soup on a cold day.

It's a cinch to make and it is Ryan's most oft requested recipe. First, saute' a heap of thinly sliced onions in loads of butter. Then add flour, salt, chicken broth, and milk stirring gently until it comes to a slow boil. Shake in some Parmesan cheese, then serve this soup piping hot over French bread topped with a slice of Swiss cheese.

Unless you have a small family of dainty eaters, you'll want to at least double this.

Use sweet onions such as Vidalia.

These still have a ways to go. You want them to be transparent.

Laura's bowl ready for soup

Ryan's He-Man-sized bowl. Ryan dropped out of kindergarten
because "he don't play no games."

One Happy College-Dude-Home-on-Christmas-Break


Yokota Special Onion Soup

  • 2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt (Be careful here! I use 1 teaspoon!)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • grated Parmesan cheese to taste
  • 6 slices French bread and Swiss Cheese
Saute onions in butter in large saucepan over low heat for 20-30 minutes or until tender and transparent. Blend in flour, pepper and salt; cook over medium heat, stirring, until bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in milk and stock. Return to heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; boil for 1 minute Place 1 slice French bread and 1 slice Swiss cheese in 6 large bowls. Pour soup over bread and cheese.


8 comments:

Unknown said...

Hello, I live in Nashville TN and have loved this soup since I was a young girl. I was doing a search to find the recipe so I didn't have to go home to get it before going to the grocery. I always wondered why it was called "Yoc". Thank you for clearing up that mystery. Diane

Anonymous said...

I was stationed at Yokota in the mid/late 1960s and became addicted to this soup. I got the recipe before I left the base and subsequently lost is several years later. I have looked for this recipe for nearly 40 years! Thank you thank you thank you! I found several others that claim to be the "right one" but were not close, this, however, is it. Thank you again!
J. Giffin, Martinsburg, WV

Cupcake said...

My dad just sent me a link to this! I love YOC SOUP!!! We were stationed there in the 70's as well. I have an entire Yakota Officers Wives Cookbook! YOC Soup is in there.

Unknown said...

I just had two great bowls of YOC soup thanks to your recipe. It reminded me of another life and a bowl of hot YOC soup and a cold Kirin beer at the Yokota Officers Club after a long typhood reconaissance mission in the early 1970s. Thanks for posting the recipe. Fred Ganske, Llano, TX. (formally 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Anderson AFB, Guam)

Peggy said...

I am so happy to find this recipe. As a young Navy Nurse I arrived in Japan Feb 1975 and stayed 4 days at Yokota --awaitng further transportation to Sasebo. I ate this soup every day while there and LOVED it. I have eated Onion soup all over the world and this one remains most in my memory and now again (thanks to you) on my palate.
Thanks, can't wait to ktry it again.
Peggy (SC)

Daisy2008 said...

When I made this 35 years ago as a Air Force wife in CA, we used Sour Dough Bread. This looks great with the French bread

Mike Novack said...

Thanks! I used to fly in an out of Yokota in the mid-to-late 70's on C-141's. We'd always head to the Officer's Club 'annex' and have a bowl of this (before the heavy drinking started). I lost my copy of the recipe about 20 years ago and can't wait to make this again!

Matador527 said...

I, like Mike, was a crewman on C-141 aircraft in the '70's. It was a normal procedure when we landed at Yokota AB when the club or club annex was open to land, brief maintenance, put the airplane "to bed", and head for the "O" Club for a steaming bowl of YOC soup. It was famous throughout "the system"! If one requested, the guys who cooked at the club would provide a recipe (they seemed to always have copies made up), but I was told that the ones handed out were ALMOST like what was cooked at the club, but close enough! Yes, "YOC" really does stand for Yokota Officer's Club...which explains why there is no such soup to be found at Minot AFB, Pope AFB, or Robins AFB...