Description
Classic French Onion Soup is a comforting and deeply flavorful soup featuring caramelized onions simmered in a rich beef broth, topped with toasted baguette slices and melted Gruyere cheese. This timeless French dish combines sweet, golden onions with savory broth and a cheesy, crispy finish for a perfect starter or main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (or beef broth), for deglazing the pan
- 7–8 cups beef broth (can also use bone broth)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
Baguette and Cheese Topping
- 1 demi French baguette, cut into 1 inch thick slices
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Garlic powder, for sprinkling
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, thickly shredded
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: Melt the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and salt, stirring to coat the onions evenly with the fat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, checking every 10-15 minutes, until they are deeply caramelized and golden brown. This process takes about 30-40 minutes. Lower the heat if the onions begin to burn or stick to the bottom.
- Add Flour and Garlic: Once onions are fully caramelized, sprinkle in the flour and add the minced garlic. Stir thoroughly to coat the onions and cook for 2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the dry white wine or beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up all browned bits stuck to the bottom. Slowly add the beef broth, fresh thyme, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes to meld flavors.
- Prepare Baguette Toasts: About 10 minutes before the soup finishes simmering, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer, brush one side with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast them in the oven for 5 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven.
- Finish Soup – Option 1: Place shredded Gruyere cheese on one side of the baguette slices and return to the oven to bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese melts. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each with cheesy baguette slices. Optionally, sprinkle extra shredded cheese on top before serving.
- Finish Soup – Option 2 (Traditional): Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls or crocks placed on a baking sheet. Top each with a toasted baguette slice and generously sprinkle with about 1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese. Broil in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden, approximately 2 minutes. Monitor carefully to prevent burning and serve immediately.
- Final Adjustments: Remove the bay leaf from the soup, taste, and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed before serving.
Notes
- You can use a mix of chicken broth and beef broth if desired for a lighter flavor.
- For best results, use very dry white wine or substitute with beef broth when deglazing.
- The soup can be frozen after cooking but before adding the cheese-topped baguettes.
- Watch carefully when broiling the cheese topping to avoid burning.
- Using a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot helps with even caramelization of onions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with bread and cheese (approx. 1 1/3 cups soup with 2 slices bread and cheese)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
