Print

Amazing French Onion Soup: 40-Minute Secret

French Onion Soup
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This is the classic French Onion Soup recipe, just like the one we tasted in Paris. It features deeply caramelized onions simmered in rich beef broth, then topped with toasted bread and melted Gruyère cheese, served piping hot and gratinéed.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups high-quality beef broth
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine (optional, Richard insists on this for depth)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 baguette, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
  • 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and mahogany brown. Do not rush this step; this is where the flavor develops.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute.
  4. Pour in the sherry or wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
  5. Add the beef broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning with pepper and salt if needed.
  6. Preheat your oven broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them lightly under the broiler until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Float one or two toasted baguette slices on top of the soup in each bowl.
  8. Generously cover the bread with the grated Gruyère cheese.
  9. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Richard reminds us that the key to this soup is patience with the onions. They must be dark brown, not just soft.
  • For a richer broth, use homemade beef stock if you have it.
  • If you don’t have oven-safe bowls, you can make the cheese toasts separately on a baking sheet and float them on top right before serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdiarist.com/french-onion-soup-classic-recipe/