Description
Comforting French onion soup blends rich caramelized onions with savory beef broth and melted cheese, creating a classic French culinary experience. Crusty bread and golden gruyère make this hearty dish perfect for warming chilled souls.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large onions
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Seasoning and Herbs:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Topping:
- 4 slices french bread
- 1 cup gruyère cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Peel and slice onions into thin, uniform half-moons, ensuring consistent thickness for even caramelization.
- Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, creating a golden cooking surface for slow onion transformation.
- Add sliced onions to the butter, stirring occasionally and allowing them to gradually turn golden brown and deeply caramelized, approximately 30-40 minutes.
- Mince garlic and introduce it to the caramelized onions, sautéing briefly to release its aromatic essence.
- Sprinkle dried thyme and crumble the bay leaf into the mixture, stirring to distribute herbs evenly.
- Deglaze the pot with dry white wine, scraping accumulated flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Pour beef broth into the pot, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes to meld flavors.
- Season with salt and black pepper, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Preheat broiler and arrange oven-safe soup bowls on a baking sheet.
- Ladle hot soup into individual bowls, ensuring even distribution of onions and broth.
- Top each bowl with a slice of french bread, then generously cover with grated gruyère cheese.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Slice onions uniformly to ensure even caramelization, preventing burnt or undercooked sections.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot for slow, consistent heat distribution during onion browning process.
- Low and slow cooking is crucial for developing deep, rich caramelized onion flavor without burning.
- Select a dry white wine with good acidity to enhance the soup’s depth and complement the sweet onions.
- For vegetarian adaptation, replace beef broth with robust vegetable stock and add mushroom powder for umami.
- Choose high-moisture gruyère for optimal melting and golden browning under the broiler.
- Avoid stirring onions too frequently during caramelization to allow proper browning and flavor development.
- Make ahead and refrigerate soup base for 2-3 days, allowing flavors to intensify before final broiling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg