Description
French Onion Soup – a comforting, elegant, and deeply flavorful soup that warms both the kitchen and your heart. This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a rich, savory, and slightly sweet bowl of bliss. Caramelized onions, slow-simmered in broth with a hint of wine, topped with toasted baguette and melted Gruyère cheese, create a symphony of flavors. Perfect for a cozy night in or an impressive starter for guests, this soup delivers classic French comfort in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 baguette, sliced
- 1–2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
- Optional: fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the onions.
- Melt butter with olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown (30–40 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with wine, scraping up browned bits.
- Add broth and bay leaves. Simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
- Preheat oven to broil. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, place toasted baguette slices on top, and cover with grated Gruyère.
- Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve immediately, optionally garnished with thyme.
Notes
- Use medium-low heat for onions to avoid bitterness.
- For vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and add a dash of soy sauce for umami.
- Toast bread lightly before topping to prevent sogginess.
- Watch cheese carefully under the broiler to avoid burning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove + Oven Broil
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 35mg