French Onion Soup
A classic French soup of deeply caramelized onions in rich stock, topped with a baguette and gruyère and broiled until golden. Take your time with the onions and anyone can make it deeply savory.
Ingredients
- Onions · large, thinly sliced, ~800g4
- Butter3 tbsp
- Olive oil1 tbsp
- Sugar · to help caramelize, optional1 tsp
- Flour · to thicken, optional1 tbsp
- White wine · optional, to deglaze100 ml
- Beef stock (or vegetable)1 L
- Thyme · or a little dried2 sprigs
- Salt & pepper1 to taste
- Cheese toast
- Baguette4 slices
- Gruyère (or Emmental) · grated100 g
Steps
- ⏲ 30 min
Melt the butter and olive oil in a wide pot, add the sliced onions, and caramelize over medium-low heat 25–35 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown (a little sugar helps). Going slow is the key.
- ⏲ 2 min
Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, then pour in the wine and scrape up the bottom as it reduces.
- ⏲ 20 min
Add the stock and thyme, bring to a boil, then simmer 15–20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- ⏲ 5 min
Lightly toast the baguette slices. Preheat the broiler.
- ⏲ 2 min
Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top with the baguette, and cover generously with cheese.
- ⏲ 5 min
Broil 3–5 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling. Serve hot.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Vegetarian: Use a rich vegetable stock instead of beef.
- Cheese blend: Mix gruyère with mozzarella and Parmigiano.
- Sherry/cognac: A splash at the end adds depth.
- No bowls: Melt cheese on the toast separately and float it on top.
Tips
- Don't rush the onions — slow, deep caramelizing is where the sweetness comes from.
- Deglaze with a little liquid to capture the browned flavor when it sticks.
- Use a rich stock for deep flavor.
- Gruyère melts well and is the classic nutty cheese.
- No oven-safe bowls/broiler? Toast the cheese bread separately and add it on top.
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