French Onion Soup Recipe
Caramelize sweet yellow onions slowly in butter, simmer in rich herb-infused beef broth, and top with toasted baguette and melted bubbly Gruyere for a cozy French classic.
Equipment
- French Onion Soup Bowls
- Soup Bowls with Handles
- Mini Cocottes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds yellow onions peeled and thinly sliced (approximately 5-6 large onions)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups beef stock or veggie stock
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
- baguette
- grated or sliced cheese such as Gruyere (Asiago, Swiss, Gouda or Mozzarella)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat, add the onions, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 3 to 5 minutes at first and about every minute as they darken; add the garlic for 2 minutes, stir in the flour for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and scrape the pot with a wooden spoon. The onions should be richly browned but never blackened, and the wine should release the golden-brown residue from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and thyme, bring the soup to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for at least 10 minutes; remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, then season with salt and pepper to taste. The broth should smell herbaceous and savory, with onion strands suspended in a lightly full-bodied liquid.
- While the soup simmers, heat the oven to 400°F, cut the baguette into 1-inch thick slices, place them in one layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. The slices should feel dry and crisp, with golden edges that can stand up to the hot soup.
- Set the oven to broil, arrange oven-safe bowls on a thick baking sheet, fill them with soup, and top each with a baguette slice and cheese; broil about 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 4 minutes, then serve immediately. The cheese should melt completely and bubble across the toast, so watch closely to prevent dark spots from developing too quickly.
Notes
Caramelizing tip: Slice the onions pole to pole rather than across the middle so the strands keep their structure and do not break down into mush during the long cook.
Alternative serving method: If you lack oven-safe crocks, broil the cheese-topped baguette slices directly on a baking sheet and float one melted toast atop each bowl of hot soup just before serving.
Storage: Keep the onion broth chilled in an airtight container separately from the baguette and cheese. Reheat the soup gently on the stove and make fresh cheesy toasts right before serving to keep the bread crisp.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.