French Onion Soup Recipe
French Onion Soup, or Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée, is a French classic that is guaranteed to impress! A rich and hearty soup, made with onions that are caramelized to perfection, topped with crusty bread and two types of cheese and then gratinéed until ooey-gooey, browned and completely decadent. Perfect for a romantic dinner for two or for an elegant dinner party!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 pounds yellow (or sweet) onions, peeled and sliced about 1/8-inch thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts beef stock, homemade or store-bought
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 slices rustic crusty bread, sliced 1-inch thick
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and slightly smashed to release oils
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Garnish: fresh thyme
Equipment
Instructions
Make the Onion Soup
- In a large Dutch Oven, over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the sliced onions and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for 15 minutes, undisturbed.
- Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, about 35 - 45 minutes. Lower the heat if you find that the onions are browning too quickly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the white wine and dry sherry, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Once boiling, stir in the flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute or until the mixture thickens.
- Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Toast the bread
- While the soup is simmering, preheat oven to 450ºF.
- Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet, covered with parchment paper.
- Brush the bread on both sides with the remaining olive oil.
- Toast the bread in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
- As soon as the bread is out of the oven, rub the garlic on the top side. Reserve.
Assemble the French Onion Soup Bowls
- Preheat broiler and adjust oven rack to top position.
- Place 4 (or 8 if making appetizer sized soups) ovenproof bowls or ramekins on the baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the bowls, dividing equally, then top with the bread slices, garlic rubbed size up. Top with the Gruyere and parmesan cheese.
- Place bowls under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and is browned in spots.
- Garnish with thyme and serve!
Notes
Serving Size:
This soup serves 4 as an entrée or 8 as an appetizer. If serving 8, you will need to divide the bread slices in half or use a baguette, which will yield smaller sized slices, to make 8 slices.
No ovenproof bowls?
You can still make this soup! After toasting the bread and rubbing with garlic, top each slice with cheese and pop under the broiler for the cheese to melt. Then, fill regular bowls with soup and top each one with a cheese bread.
Make Ahead:
The onion soup part of this recipe can be made up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, then reheat before assembling the bowls. You can also make the garlic bread a day ahead and store it at room temperature.
Freezing:
The soup (without bread and cheese) can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat and assemble the bowls .
Nutrition
Calories: 832kcal, Carbohydrates: 81g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 1646mg, Potassium: 1639mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 875IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 670mg, Iron: 6mg