French Onion Soup
User Reviews
4.9
French Onion Soup
Description
This recipe calls for thinly sliced yellow and brown onions cooked gently in butter over medium to low heat until soft, then further caramelized on higher heat with salt until deeply golden and sweet. The slow caramelization develops the soup's fundamental flavor profile.
White wine is used to deglaze the pot, adding acidity and lifting browned bits from the bottom, enhancing the broth’s depth. Flour is sprinkled in to thicken slightly before adding beef broth along with bay leaves and thyme for herbal notes. The soup gently simmers for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
Cheesy toasted bread is prepared by topping slices of soft bread with gruyere or a melting cheese and broiling until golden and bubbling. The soup is ladled into bowls and topped with one or two slices of the cheesy toast. This classic presentation combines the sweet, savory broth with melted cheese and tender bread.
The recipe includes notes on onion cutting technique for better texture, wine choices, broth quality and substitution, bread selection, and a slow cooker method for caramelizing onions. The soup stores well for multiple servings and offers options to customize ingredients based on preference or availability.
Ingredients
- 100 g / 3.5oz butter unsalted
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb brown onion peeled, halved, thinly sliced top to bottom (Note 1
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb yellow onion peeled, halved, thinly sliced top to bottom (Note 1
- 3/4 cup (185ml) white wine optional (Note 2, dry
- 2 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 1.5 litres / 6 cups / 1.5 quarts beef broth low sodium/salt reduced (Note 3, or stock or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves or 3 fresh) (optional, dried
- 3 thyme optional, sprigs, fresh
- salt
- black pepper
Cheesy Toast
- 6 French baguette or other softish bread (Note 4, slices
- 100 g / 3.5 oz gruyere cheese or mozzarella cheese, or other melting cheese of choice
- parsley for garnish (optional, or thyme leaves, fresh
Instructions
Caramelise Onions (See Notes for SLOW COOKER option)
- Melt butter in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat. When it starts to foam, add onions and stir to coat in butter.
- 30 min on medium low: Turn heat down to medium low. Cook for 30 minutes stirring every few minutes, until the onions have softened and are semi transparent.
- Salt, 20 min on medium high: Turn heat up to medium or medium high. Add salt, and cook for a further 20 - 30 minutes, stirring more regularly, until onions are deep golden and sweet.
Make Soup:
- Deglaze: Add wine, then simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated, stirring to scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Flour: Sprinkle flour over the onion and cook for 1 minute.
- Add broth & herbs: Add broth, thyme and bay leaves.
- Simmer: Cover, lower heat so it's simmering gently then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve: Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Top with 1 or 2 slices of cheesy toast.
Cheese Toast:
- Preheat grill / broiler to high.Toast each side of bread until light golden.
- Top bread with cheese, then grill until melted and some brown spots appear.
Notes
- Slice onions from top to bottom to help maintain shape and avoid stringy bits during cooking.
- Wine is used to deglaze and add flavor; it can be omitted if preferred without compromising soup base quality.
- Choose low-sodium, high-quality beef broth or substitute chicken or vegetable broth if needed.
- Soft bread with tender crumb is best for the cheesy toast topping to allow easy spooning; avoid dense artisan breads like sourdough.
- Slow cooker caramelized onions can be used to simplify prep, but finishing in a pan develops deeper flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 386 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 435g | |
| Calories | 386cal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 34.3g | 11% |
| Protein | 15.6g | 31% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 12.2g | 61% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8.8g | 52% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 1128mg | 47% |
| Fiber | 3.6g | 14% |
| Sugar | 6.9g | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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