The Best French Onion Soup
Is there anything cozier on a cold day than a warm bowl of French Onion Soup? Especially with slices of toasted bread covered in melted Provolone cheese and plenty of caramelized onions.
This French Onion Soup Is Like A Warm, Cozy Hug In A Bowl!
French Onion Soup, or as they call it in France – soupe à l’oignon gratinée, is just a classic delight. Plus, it’s served in a cute ramekin or a ceramic crock with a handle, sooo cozy and delicious!
I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do! Now let’s get cooking! 
To Make This Rich French Onion Soup, You Will Need:
Sweer onions: for the best flavor and sweetness.
Garlic, fresh thyme, and bay leaf: add depth and complexity to your soup. Don’t skimp on them, and remove the bay leaf before serving.
French baguette: choose a good-quality baguette and slice it 1-inch thickly.
Gruyere and Provolone: a combination of these two cheeses creates a wonderful balance of flavor and meltiness. Grate and slice them fresh for the best results.
Olive oil: use high-quality extra virgin olive oil to add a nice depth of flavor.
Sugar: a touch of sugar helps speed up the caramelization process of the onions. Be careful not to use too much; just a pinch will do.
Salt: season your soup with salt to taste. Remember that cheese can also add some saltiness, so don’t overdo it.
Beef bouillon cube: to bump up the flavor of the beef stock.
Alcohol (optional): the recipe calls for alcohol but it’s entirely optional.
Worcestershire (optional): if you choose to omit alcohol from the recipe, adding a tbsp of Worcestershire sauce at the end can provide extra depth of flavor.
Beef stock: the star of the soup, if you can make the stock from scratch, give it a try.
Unsalted butter: using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of your soup.
How To Make The Best French Onion Soup?
When it comes to cooking up a fantastic French Onion Soup, there are two key things to keep in mind: stock and time.
Let’s talk about that stock. Your soup is only going to be as good as the stock you use. Traditionally, it’s all about beef stock, but I totally get it – sometimes, finding good beef stock can be a bit of a challenge or expensive to make from scratch.
If you’re going for the boxed stuff, make sure to taste it first! If it doesn’t quite tickle your taste buds, it’s a no-go.
Now, let’s talk about the second key – time. Properly caramelizing those onions is the real deal. It’s a slow, magical transformation that takes at least 40 minutes. You see, it’s all about chemistry, where the sugars in the onions hit that perfect temperature.
And here’s the thing – it only occurs after they’ve been simmering for a while (a little extra sugar can help speed up the process). The more you caramelize them, the deeper the color, and the richer the flavor they’ll bring to your soup. It’s all about patience, my friend, but the results are so worth it!
Estimate Nutritional Information:
Serving: 1 serving (approx. 1 cup)
Calories: 590kcal | Total Fat: 34g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 890mg | Carbohydrates: 55g | Dietary Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Protein: 15g | Calcium: 541mg | Iron: 1.7mg
Recipe Notes And Helpful Tips:
Vegetarian option: you can make this vegetarian by replacing the beef and chicken stock with vegetable stock and using vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Enhance the caramelization: add shallots and leeks to the onion for extra flavor.
Beef stock: the beef stock is the star of the show. A good bone broth is the best choice. You should also add beef bouillon for an even richer flavor.
Alcohol use: the recipe calls for alcohol (dry vermouth, white wine, brandy, or cognac) to deglaze. If you prefer not to use alcohol, the result will still be delicious.
Worcestershire sauce: it’s optional, but adding 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce when omitting the alcohol will provide an additional depth of flavor.
Oven-safe bowls: If you don’t have oven-safe bowls, you can skip the broiling part. Instead, make cheese toasts on a baking sheet and place them on top of the soup, or use croutons.
Frequently Asked Questions (FQAs):
1. What Kind Of Onions To Use?
Sweet onions complement the savory beef broth in French onion soup the best. If needed, you can use other types of onions like yellow onions as a substitute.
2. What Kind Of Beef Broth To Use?
A good quality beef broth is essential for French onion soup. Store-bought is fine, or consider making your own homemade beef broth for the best results.
3. How To Store And Reheat French Onion Soup?
Store the soup without the croutons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, bring it to a boil on the stovetop. The croutons are best when made fresh.
4. How To Freeze This Dish?
You can freeze the soup (without the croutons) for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator and reheat it by boiling it on the stovetop. Make the croutons fresh.
Let’s Make This Delicious French Onion Soup!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 French baguette, sliced 1 inch thick
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1/4 cup of alcohol of your choice (optional)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Caramelize the onions
- In a 5 to 6-quart thick-bottomed pot, heat up the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and toss to coat with the olive oil.
- Once the onions have softened, add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Continue cooking, stirring often.
- Sprinkle with sugar (for caramelization) and add 1 teaspoon of salt and the beef bouillon cube.
- Keep cooking until the onions are well browned, about 10 to 15 more minutes. Then remove the thyme sprigs and the bay leaf.
Step 2: Deglaze the pot
- If using alcohol, carefully add it to the pot and use it to deglaze, scraping up any flavorful bits. If not, you can use beef stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer.
- Cook for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Pan-fry bread slices
- In a separate pan over medium-low heat, add the butter and oil, then add the baguette slices.
- Pan-fry until the slices are golden brown on both sides.
Step 4: Assemble the soup
- Preheat your oven’s broiler to 350°F (175°C).
- Ladle the caramelized onion soup into individual ceramic or oven-safe bowls. Top each bowl with halves of the pan-fried bread slices.
- Generously sprinkle the shredded Gruyere over the bread and Provolone slices on top.
Step 5: Broil the soup
- Place the bowls under the broiler for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Sprinkle some fresh thyme leaves for garnish.
- Enjoy your freshly made French Onion Soup.
NOTES
Note: Exercise caution when working with an open flame or broiler, and keep a close eye on the soup as it broils to avoid burning.
