Easy French Onion Soup Recipe
This French onion soup is packed with flavor from caramelized onions and topped with melty cheese on a crispy baguette. It’s a bistro-quality soup you can easily make at home with just a few simple ingredients.
French Onion Soup Made Easy
French onion soup is a classic dish that started as a humble peasant meal, made with just sweet onions, stale bread, and water. Today’s versions have come a long way, featuring perfectly caramelized onion in a savory broth, topped with melted cheese on a crispy baguette.
It might seem like this soup is something you can only enjoy at a fancy French bistro, but this recipe proves that you can easily make it at home. There’s truly only one key to making restaurant-quality French onion soup: taking your time with the onions. Cooking them low and slow lets them get wonderfully sweet and develop that rich brown color without burning.
Once you nail the caramelization process, the rest is a piece of cake! Add a loaf of one of these best breads for soup for the perfect meal. For another easy and delicious soup, you’ve also got to try this roasted red pepper soup or this creamy pumpkin soup.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of basic ingredients to whip up a pot of this soup. It’s amazing how something so simple can taste so luxurious!
- Amazing flavor: The soup is loaded with flavor from the sweet caramelized onions, savory broth, and nutty Gruyere cheese.
- Easy but so impressive: French onion soup sounds fancy, but making this version is surprisingly easy. You can impress your friends and family without spending hours in the kitchen!
Key Ingredients Needed for Traditional French Onion Soup
- Thinly sliced onions: I use yellow onions because they are sweeter than white onions.
- Butter and olive oil: For sautéing the onions, plus adds rich flavor to the broth.
- Beef broth (or beef stock for a deeper flavor): You can use a good quality store-bought broth or use homemade.
- Dry white wine: Deglazes the pot and adds flavor to the soup.
- Seasoning and herbs: A classic combination of salt, bay leaves, and dried thyme season the soup.
- Baguette slices: Slightly toasted in the oven with cheese makes the perfect topper.
- Gruyère cheese, grated: Melts beautifully and gives a rich, nutty flavor to the soup.
How to Make Classic French Onion Soup
Step 1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat.
Step 2. Add the sliced onions.
Cook until they are caramelized, stirring occasionally (about 30-40 minutes).
Step 3. Add herbs and pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.
Stir to combine.
Step 4. Add beef broth, water, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Step 5: Once the soup is ready, preheat the oven to broil.
Step 6: Place bread slices on a baking sheet and top each slice with fresh grated Gruyère cheese. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 7: Ladle the hot French Onion Soup into soup bowls and top with cheesy baguette slices.
If you want to broil the cheese toast over the soup in the oven, ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls topping each bowl with a slice of bread and a generous amount of grated Gruyère cheese.
Place the bowls on a cookie sheet and broil until the cheese bubbles.
Carefully remove the bowls from the oven using oven mitts. Let the soup cool slightly before serving to avoid burning yourself.
Variations and Substitutions
While Gruyère is traditional, you can experiment with other cheeses like Swiss cheese or mozzarella cheese. You can even use parmesan cheese, it just won’t be gooey like melty cheeses. Each type of cheese adds its own special flavor!
For a delicious vegetarian version of this soup, use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
If dry white wine isn’t on hand, a splash of apple cider vinegar will work, or a hearty splash of Worcestershire sauce for bolder flavor. You can also just skip it altogether. The soup will still be amazing!
Any crusty bread will do, so don’t hesitate to grab some sourdough or ciabatta if that’s what you have on hand. It’ll still soak up all that delicious broth!
For an extra flavor boost, try adding minced garlic while cooking the onions. It adds a delicious depth that I just love!
Sautéing some sliced mushrooms along with the onions is a fantastic way to add a little protein.
If you want a different onion flavor, caramelized shallots or leeks can bring a nice twist to the classic soup. If you’re feeling spicy, toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top Tips
- Take your time when caramelizing the onions. Slow cooking at a lower heat allows the sugars to develop, resulting in a rich, sweet flavor.
- Give your onions a stir every few minutes. This helps them cook evenly and prevents any sticking or burning.
- After caramelizing the onions, don’t forget to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This adds incredible depth of flavor to your broth.
- Once you add the white wine, let it simmer and reduce for a few minutes before adding the broth. This intensifies the flavor and ensures the alcohol cooks off.
- When broiling the soup, keep a close eye on it. Cheese can go from perfectly melted to burnt in just a minute or two.
- This French Onion Soup is best served hot and fresh, while the cheese is still nice and gooey.
FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the soup in advance and reheat it before serving. Add the bread and cheese just before broiling.
Yes, you can caramelize the onions in advance and store them in the refrigerator until ready to make the soup.
This soup pairs well with a glass of red wine, a side salad, and a crusty slice of French bread.
For best results, you’ll want to freeze soup without the bread and cheese. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat it before adding the toppings.
More Tasty Soup Recipes
Easy French Onion Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Salt to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Baguette slices
- Gruyère cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cook until they are caramelized, stirring occasionally (about 30-40 minutes).
- Add herbs and pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.
- Add beef broth, water and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.
- Once the soup is ready, preheat the oven to broil.
- Place bread slices on a baking sheet and top each slice with grated Gruyère cheese.
- Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Ladle the hot French Onion Soup into regular soup bowls.
- Place a cheesy bread slice on top of each bowl.
- Serve hot and enjoy
