Description
Make a rich, traditional French Onion Soup featuring deeply caramelized onions, savory beef broth, and a melted Gruyère cheese topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine (optional)
- 6 cups high-quality beef broth
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 thick slices baguette, toasted
- 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
Instructions
- Melt butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are deep brown and fully caramelized. Do not rush this step.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- If using, pour in the sherry or wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the beef broth. Add the thyme and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Season with pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
- Preheat your broiler. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls.
- Place one toasted baguette slice on top of the soup in each bowl. Cover the bread completely with grated Gruyère cheese.
- Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the beef broth with rich vegetable broth and add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce for depth.
- If you do not have oven-safe bowls, you can melt the cheese on the bread slices separately on a baking sheet and then float the cheese toast on top of the soup in regular bowls.
- The quality of your beef broth significantly impacts the final flavor of this soup.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop and Broiling
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 60