Description
This classic French Onion Soup recipe features deeply caramelized onions, rich beef and chicken broth, and a crisp, cheesy baguette topping. Slow-cooked to develop complex flavors, it’s the perfect comforting dish for cooler weather or any time you crave a savory, hearty soup.
Ingredients
Scale
Onions
- 4 large yellow onions (about 5 pounds total)
- 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia)
Soup Base
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup dry white wine (Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio)
- 3 tablespoons flour (optional)
- 4 cups beef broth (high quality)
- 1 beef bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Bread and Cheese
- 1 baguette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
- 6 slices Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Slice the onions: Slice the onions into ¼-inch thick slices. Using a mandoline slicer can make this easier. This ensures the onions don’t become too stringy and will reduce properly during cooking.
- Melt the butter and begin cooking the onions: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat until it starts to foam. This clarifies the butter by allowing water to evaporate. Add the sliced onions and toss them in the butter. Cook uncovered, stirring every 10-15 minutes to prevent sticking and burning.
- Slowly caramelize the onions: Continue cooking the onions gently over medium-low heat for up to 2 hours or longer. As they caramelize and turn a rich brown, add splashes of white wine to deglaze the pot and scrape up browned bits from the bottom to deepen flavor.
- Add flour and finish caramelizing: When onions are nearly done, sprinkle flour over them and cook for 2 minutes. Add any remaining wine, increase the heat to medium-high, and toss frequently until onions are richly brown and sweet.
- Add broth and seasonings, then simmer: Pour in beef broth, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, add the beef bouillon cube, bay leaves, and thyme. Simmer over medium heat with the lid slightly cracked for 45 minutes to develop flavor.
- Prepare the bread: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices, brush the tops with olive oil if using, and bake for about 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Add cheese and broil: Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Top each baguette slice with Gruyere cheese and bake until cheese melts, bubbles, and browns lightly.
- Finish and serve: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the soup. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle hot soup into bowls and top each with a warm, cheesy baguette slice. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe requires about 5 pounds total of onions for optimal flavor and volume.
- If you prefer not to use wine, substitute 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar plus additional chicken or beef broth to make up ¾ cup liquid.
- Other excellent cheese substitutes include Comté, Emmental (Swiss), or Provolone.
- A crock pot method is available: caramelize onions in the crock pot on low for 10 hours, then finish cooking the soup on the stovetop to develop full flavor.
- The primary cooking method used here is stovetop caramelization and simmering.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with baguette slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
