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Classic French Onion Soup
4.9 from 198 votes

Classic French Onion Soup

This Classic French Onion Soup is built from caramelized sweet onions slowly cooked with butter until golden and rich. It’s enriched by garlic, white wine, and beef stock simmered with fresh thyme and bay leaves for depth. Topped with toasted baguette slices and melted Swiss and Gruyere cheeses, it delivers savory, sweet, and melted textures in every spoonful.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 5 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter unsalted
  • 3 pounds onions sliced, medium, sweet
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup white wine dry
  • 6 cups beef stock
  • 4 prigs thyme fresh
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • 12 French baguette sliced
  • 1 cup swiss cheese shredded
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese shredded

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt butter in a large stockpot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.*
  2. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the stockpot.
  4. Stir in beef stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 15-20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
  5. Stir in white wine vinegar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Preheat oven to broil.
  7. Place baguette slices onto a baking sheet. Place into oven and broil until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side; set aside.
  8. Divide soup into ramekins or ovenproof bowls. Place onto a baking sheet. Top with baguette slices to cover the surface of the soup completely; sprinkle with cheeses. Place into oven and broil until golden brown and cheeses have melted; about 2 minutes.
  9.  Serve immediately.

Notes

  • If the onions start to burn during caramelization, reduce heat and add 1/4 cup water to gently loosen them.