Soups are our jam, be sure to check out this Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup, this Broccoli Cheese Soup, or this Minestrone Soup. They’re all so amazing and perfect for when it gets chilly!
French Onion Soup Recipe
I still remember the first time I had French Onion Soup. It was at a fancy steak restaurant when I was about seven years old, and when I saw the next table’s bubbling hot, cheesy soup being delivered to their table, it was love at first sight. This cheesy, brothy, onion-forward soup may seem hard to make, but it’s actually super easy to prepare. Win! The only thing you need is a little bit of patience both to let the onions caramelize and to keep yourself from inhaling the broth before the cheese goes on to be melted into a gooey oblivion. Let’s get into all of the ingredients you’ll need:
French Onion Soup Ingredients
This classic dish is pure comfort in a bowl, with rich, savory broth simmered with caramelized onions for an unforgettable flavor. Top it off with melted Gruyère and a toasted baguette for the ultimate experience. Let’s dive into the simple ingredients that make the magic happen!
Unsalted Butter: Creates a smooth base for sautéing the onions. Onions: Lots and lots of onions. When you let onions cook look and slow, they downsize tremendously. I used about 6 1/2 cups of sliced onions, which equals about 3 large onions. Slice them thin. Salt: Enhances the delicious natural flavor of the onions. All-Purpose Flour: I like to add just a few tablespoons of flour to my French onion soup to thicken it up just a touch. Sherry and Dry White Wine: Deglazes the pan after caramelizing the onions. They also add acidity and complexity to the soup’s flavor. I recommend using sauvignon blanc or pinot Grigio for the white wine. Beef Broth: Use a good-quality beef broth or stock. I also like to use low-sodium, so I can control the amount of salt that goes into the dish. Thyme: Fresh thyme if you’ve got it. About five sprigs. Baguette Slices: Toast nicely and absorbs the soup’s broth. Gruyere Cheese: This is arguably the best part of French onion soup. Gruyere cheese is nutty, salty, and melts PERFECTLY. I would not substitute anything for this. It can be a little bit pricey, but the other ingredients are pretty cheap so it makes up for it.
How to Make It
Once you’ve got your ingredients ready, here’s how to make that delicious, ooey-gooey bowl of French onion soup. Once you know how to make it from scratch, you’ll want it all the time!
Use Your Favorite Kind of Onions: You can use yellow onions, red onions, sweet onions, white onions…pretty much any kind or combination! 10 cups will seem like a lot, but I promise they cook down a ton. Alcohol Substitutes: Instead of sherry and wine you can use cooking sherry and white wine, or additional beef broth. But the two wines add a really great depth of flavor that adds a lot to the soup so I encourage you to use them! Keep an Eye on Your Onions: Make sure to watch the onions, you don’t want them to burn. If they start to burn, turn the heat down a bit and continue to stir. Make Sure to Season as You Go! Season the onion. After you add the broth and wines, season again. After the broth has simmered with thyme, taste for seasoning again. Everyone’s palate is different and what I think is too salty or not salty enough may be different for yours. Don’t Leave Your Broiling Cheese Unattended! Cheese burns FAST. You really need to keep an eye on the soup when it’s under the broiler or you can quickly have a bad situation on your hands.
Creamy Zuppa Toscana Soup
40 mins
Lasagna Soup
30 mins
Cowboy Hamburger Soup
30 mins
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
35 mins
