Comforting French Onion Soup
A warm and inviting homemade French onion soup recipe, rich with caramelized onions and topped with cheesy toast.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 4-6
Full Ingredient List
- 4 pounds yellow onions
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups beef stock or veggie stock
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- baguette
- grated or sliced cheese (Gruyere, Asiago, Swiss, Gouda or Mozzarella)
- fine sea salt
- freshly-cracked black pepper
Soup Base
Tools and Equipment
Ingredients
| Quantity | Name | Preparation Notes | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 pounds | yellow onions | peeled and thinly sliced | |
| 3 tablespoons | butter | vegan butter, olive oil | |
| 4 cloves | garlic | minced | |
| 3 tablespoons | flour | gluten-free flour blend | |
| 1/2 cup | dry white wine | ||
| 6 cups | beef stock | veggie stock | |
| 1 teaspoon | Worcestershire sauce | ||
| 1 | bay leaf | ||
| 3 sprigs | fresh thyme | 1 teaspoon dried thyme | |
| fine sea salt | to taste | ||
| freshly-cracked black pepper | to taste |
Instructions
- Step 1: Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized (about 30 minutes). (Tips: Stir more frequently near the end of cooking to prevent burning.)
- Step 2: Add minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for an additional minute.
- Step 3: Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Step 4: Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for at least 10 minutes. (Tips: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.)
Cheesy Toast Topping
Tools and Equipment
Ingredients
| Quantity | Name | Preparation Notes | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| baguette | sliced | ||
| cheese | grated or sliced | ||
| fine sea salt | to taste | ||
| freshly-cracked black pepper | to taste |
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the baguette into 1-inch thick pieces and place on a baking sheet.
- Step 2: Bake for 6-8 minutes until toasted and golden. Set aside.
- Step 3: Switch oven to broil. Once soup is ready, ladle it into oven-safe bowls, top with toasted baguette slices and desired amount of cheese. (Tips: Keep a close eye to ensure the cheese does not burn.)
- Step 4: Place bowls on a baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil for 2-4 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Additional Information
Notes: Feel free to make the soup vegan by using vegan butter, vegetable stock, and vegan cheese.