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Classic French onion soup

French onion soup

The patient cook wins hands down when it comes to French onion soup. This recipe calls for long, slow cooking to bring out the onions’ natural sweetness, and diligent stirring, every 15 minutes or so to ensure they don’t burn, is of the utmost importance. It’s probably that such attentiveness, a luxury of modern-day chefs, was not a common practice in bucolic France where the onion soup originates. The soup, something of a staple in rural households, was little more than water poured over stale bread crusts, the flavoursome bulb added and the whole lot left to simmer for the day. Onions, which grew in abundance and, more importantly, all year round, were the obvious choice for a nourishing meal.

It’s unclear when the broth was wed to cheese to become soup a l’oignon gratinée but it’s this version that has come to be referred to as French onion soup. Its popularity as the four am pick-me-up du jour for the butchers and purveyors who frequented the bistros around the legendary produce market, Les Halles in Paris, no doubt cemented the onion soup’s reputation as a tonic. Although the market itself is gone, night revellers still seek out the restorative broth all around France. “After a big night out, you either go for a bowl of onion soup, the bakery or straight to bed,” says owner of Sydney’s La Brasserie, Philippe Valet.

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Ingredients

Melt butter in a large, wide heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until onions are soft. Remove lid and cook for 1 hour or until soft and starting to caramelise. Add stock, ½ a cup at a time, and simmer for 5 minutes or until stock has almost evaporated. Repeat three times more until 2 cups of stock has been added. Using kitchen twine, tie herbs together, add to onions with remaining stock and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, scraping the base to remove any caramelised bits, for 40 minutes or until thick. Makes 6 cups.

Preheat oven to 200C. Ladle soup into 1½ capacity oven-proof bowls and transfer to an oven tray. Scatter with half the cheese, top each with two toasted baguette slices and scatter with remaining cheese. Place in oven and cook for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

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Our Favorite French Onion Soup

By Rhoda Boone

Active Time

1 3/4 hours

Buy the best beef broth you can, or better yet, make your own for a rich, full-flavored French onion soup. And if you don't have ovenproof bowls or ramekins for the soup, don't worry—you can just top your soup with melty cheese toasts.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a main (or 6 as an appetizer)

Special equipment:

Preparation.

In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the oil and onions; cook onions are until softened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and sugar; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, reducing heat slightly if onions seem to be browning too quickly, 35 to 45 minutes more.

Add wine and raise heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.

Tie thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with twine. Add broth and herb bundle to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until broth is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Heat the broiler. Cut two ½-inch baguette slices for every serving of soup. Place baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until crisp and dry but not browned, about 1 minute per side. Rub one side of each toast with the garlic clove and set aside.

Place ramekins or ovensafe bowls on a rimmed baking sheet, add ½ teaspoon of sherry to the bottom of each, and ladle soup on top. Top each serving of soup with two garlic-rubbed toasts. Divide cheese among the servings, covering the bread and some of the soup. Carefully transfer baking sheet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each garlic-rubbed toast with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide sherry and soup among bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)

Soup can be made up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese) if refrigerated, or up to 6 months ahead if frozen. Toasts can be made (without cheese) and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Reviews (123)

THE BEST! I've been making it, with Rhoda's bone broth, since it was published. Family favorite for Christmas eve dinner!

Amy from Boston

This recipe by far is the best and my favorite. I just made this last week and have it on rotation again. My family raved about it and it was gone in one night. I have tried many recipes and this one tastes the best. Make it!!

This recipe is perfect. I followed it exactly except for having to use dried thyme. I put the thyme and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tied it shut. I used 1.5 tsp of dried thyme. I did use my own homemade beef broth though. Delicious! Everyone loved it!

Whitefield, NH

Great recipe but with a few tweaks. I have to say I haven’t made it as it was meant to before, I automatically adjusted the first time I was making it, but I love a dark and rich French Onion Soup. So, I read some of the reviews and made a few changes but it came out amazing. I added an additional 2 cubes of beef bouillon, a 1/2 cube of chicken bouillon, and about 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. I also used a red wine (Merlot) instead of the white wine and skipped the sherry. I used provolone in addition to Gruyère but honestly I think I like using a Swiss cheese more but that’s just my preference. Also, maybe it was just the pan I was using/my personal preference for how much I like my onions cooked but they took extremely long - about 2 hours - I was also using yellow onions because that’s what they had at the store. Definitely try this recipe!

We make this all the time. We cook the onions until very carmelized - about 1-1.5 hours. Every few minutes we scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the cast iron pot. We use a bread rusk on top in oven safe bowl and put gruyere slicces on top. SO good. and easy. This is the best recipe!!

Seattle, WA

I love FO soup! I've had it in different restaurants and in other countries! I've decided to perfect it myself! I'm partial to gooey Cheese on top! I always thought it was Mozzarella? Does Guerre also stretch and melt like that? I'm going to experiment! I do love the wine and cognac for flavor! This soup will be perfect on a cold winter day! I raised my kids on home cooking, I loved spoiling them with healthy things They just didn't know it! Thank You for the recipe! This is going to be fun! I gave 4 Stars because I haven't made it yet! I'll be back! : - )

Dual Residence, Michigan and Arizona!

On Review below by Deb in Arizona - I meant to say add flour to onions - not chz!!! Also vidalia onions are the best! Also yes you cook the onions as stated!!!! The onions reduce a ton and the caramelization. Is super important to this recipe! Please see my review below this one.

I believe everyone probably tweeks recipes as we all have different tastes. We love a super rich FO soup. I added 4 tablespoons cognac with the wine, added 2 tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon- Beef to beef broth. This makes sauce very rich. I also added tablespoon flour to onions before I added broth etc. also during caramelization I added another half teaspoon cheese. Also you need a hearty loaf of baguette that will not fall apart. Everyone raved about this soup!

Depending on the sweetness of the onions used this might be too sweet, but knowing mine were sweet I omitted the sugar. I also added a splash of white wine vinegar. Had no fresh time so used 1/4 tsp of dried. I also had no sherry so substituted with a splash of brandy. I like to play with a mix of broths when I make this, and I actually prefer half chicken and half beef stock, but it's not classic to mix them. Either way, this soup is fabulous.

Alberta, Canada

Cook the onions for an hour???? That’s just freakin stupid

Great recipe. Only change I did, and I certainly don't doubt the above, but I think toasting (or even using an older, died out baguette w/out toasting) is fine, this is peasant food. Then cubing it and melting or even just grating some Gruyère on top of that is more traditional. Then pouring the soup on top and baking for a few minutes. Might not be, but that's how I was taught. In any case its super awesome and I love it.

Vidalia onions have too much sugar content making this a very sweet soup. I wouldn't recommend this type onion. I also wouldn't recommend mozzarella for the cheese. It clumps too much and doesn't incorporate well into the dish. Save mozz for the pizza.

I made this today and even thought it's summer I love soup anytime. This soup is worth the time it takes to brown the onions and the wine and sherry is worth the splurge.

Casper Wyoming

I've been making FoS for years. This is hands down the best recipe I've used. I also recommend not to skip the sherry, I had only cooking Sherry in hand, but that was perfect. I also used swiss, just because of family tradition, but I may try gruyere when it's left over time today. Thank you so much for sharing this I will certainly pass it on!

SweetSerenity007

Phoenix, AZ

P.S. to my prior review...I used regular yellow onions - sweet onions don't have enough flavor for me. I also used Swiss Cheese as I only had enough Gruyere cheese for another dish I was going to cook for Sunday dinner. The Swiss tasted just as good and we like to use a lot of cheese :-)

pennyminnesota9453

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French Onion Soup

By Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Photography by Romulo Yanes

Ingredients

Preparation.

Preheat oven to 450°. Cook onions in a 12" nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring constantly, until soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add butter and toss onions to coat. Remove pan from heat and stir in Calvados. Return pan to heat and continue cooking until Calvados is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until soup is reduced to 4 cups, about 5 minutes.

Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide soup among ramekins. Top each ramekin with 1–2 slices of bread. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each. Transfer baking sheet with ramekins to oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, about 4 minutes.

Nutrition Per Serving

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• Recipes by World Cuisine
• Western European

French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée) Recipe

Choosing Onions for French Onion Soup

Caramelizing the onions, best broth for french onion soup, finishing french onion soup, why it works.

• Caramelizing the onions slowly in butter until they're rich golden brown (but not so dark as to taste bitter) produces the sweetest, most flavorful results.
• If you don't have homemade beef stock, the recipe's suggested homemade or store-bought chicken stock substitutions are better than most store-bought beef stock.
• Asian fish sauce, cider vinegar, and sherry add depth and complexity to the broth.

In my very first test for this French onion soup recipe, I had a realization: There's no good reason why so much bad French onion soup exists in the world.

Serious Eats / Julia Estrada

The thought arrived after I had caramelized a variety of onions in butter, then added some  homemade chicken stock  and let it simmer for a while. Aside from salt, I had put nothing else in the pot. And yet, despite being such a bare-bones version, the soup tasted like one of the best French onion soups I'd ever had.

It made me reflect on all the crappy French onion soup I've been served in my life. Bowls upon bowls of thin burnt-onion tea, the sharp flavor of caramelization gone wrong—something no amount of melted cheese can hope to correct. With nothing more than onions, stock, and salt, it's possible to make one of the most delicious broths in the world. So why are good versions so rare?

The answer lies right there in the question: In the case of such a simple soup, its success or failure comes down to the onions and the broth. Do them right, and you have a masterpiece on your hands. Do them wrong, and it's all lost. Sure, there are things we can do to elevate the soup even further, but they can't stand in for a good base. And the croutons and melted cheese—a requirement for soupe à l'oignon gratinée, and what most Americans think of when we think of French onion soup—should be a bonus, not a crutch.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

One of the most common beliefs surrounding French onion soup is that the onions must be cooked to a deep, deep, dark, dark mahogany brown. I'm going to start off by calling BS on that premise. It's not that I think it's  wrong  to caramelize the onions darkly; I just don't think it's necessary for great results. I also think there's a big risk in going very dark: Unless you're exceedingly careful, it's very easy to introduce unpleasantly bitter flavors to the onion—one of the culprits in so much of the bad French onion soup out there.

In test after test, I found that great French onion soup can be made with more lightly caramelized onions. The deep, sweet flavor that we want arrives long before they turn the color of dark chocolate. And, as I researched other French onion soup recipes, I discovered I wasn't alone in this realization. In fact, some of the people I trust most on this topic have said exactly the same thing.

Here's the acclaimed chef André Soltner in the preface to the onion soup recipe in his  Lutèce Cookbook :

"Do not think for a minute that this is the notorious soup you get in Paris workingmen's cafes at five o'clock in the morning.... In those soups the onions are sautéed until they are black, and the soup is dark and bitter. Some people like it that way—which I can never understand."

He then proceeds to instruct us to cook the onions until golden brown. Julia Child, in  Mastering the Art of French Cooking , meanwhile, says to cook the onions until they're an "even, deep, golden brown." As far as I can tell, an even, deep, golden brown is  not  the same as a deep, dark brown. And in  The Paris Cookbook , Patricia Wells shares the recipe from Paris's Brasserie Balzar, and makes a point of not cooking the onions nearly as dark as so many other recipes insist upon. Interestingly, her recipe aims only for a pale golden color, even lighter than what I think is the sweet spot.

While Soltner's quote makes it clear that many versions of this soup are indeed made with intensely dark onions, part of me wonders whether some of the trouble has been a result of poorly chosen words that have then become gospel. Take  this recipe  and  this video  of Jacques Pépin as examples. In the recipe, he says to cook the onions until "dark brown," but then gives a cooking time of only 15 minutes—an impossibly short time for that level of browning. And in the video, he tells Julia Child to cook the onions until dark, but one look in the pot and I think we can all agree that they're much closer to a rich golden brown, still a ways away from reaching the deeply dark stage many recipe writers call for.

"So what do we really want from the onions? We want them incredibly soft, with a deep, sweet flavor and a color that's a rich golden brown."

So what do we really want from the onions? We want them incredibly soft, with a deep, sweet flavor and a color that's a rich golden brown. Some folks may not agree with this—sometimes the way we've grown accustomed to a food becomes the only way we can imagine it. That's fine: You're free to cook the onions even more if that's what you prefer. What I want to stress, though, is that you don't  have  to, and you may well discover, as I have, that you find the soup even more delicious when you don't cook the onions to a deep, dark brown.

This still leaves open the question of the caramelization itself. But before I get to that, let's talk onion types.

Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer

One of the first things I wanted to figure out was whether the choice of onion itself mattered much for French onion soup. To find out, I caramelized four different varieties to a rich golden brown: sweet onions (such as Vidalia), red onions, yellow onions, and shallots.*

* Okay, technically not an onion, but a close enough relative to make it worth trying out.

Here are my tasting notes on the caramelized onions:

• Sweet onion:  mellow and sweet, with a brightness right at the end.
• Red onion:  deeper flavor, with a slightly bitter edge and less sweetness.
• Yellow onion:  lots of bright flavor, very mild bitterness, and a sweetness backing it up.
• Shallot:  really good balance of sweetness, with both bright flavors and deep, rich ones, and just a hint of bitterness.

It's possible that different samples of each of these onion types might have produced different results, but what's key is that the variation exists in the first place: Some onions will be more bitter, some more sweet, some brighter, some deeper and more complex. Much like with  my fresh tomato sauce recipe , mixing them together produced the most well-rounded and complex flavor of all.

The bottom line is that none of the onions were bad, and you can make great soup from any one of them.** And yet I can't help but think,  why not get more bang for your buck by using a blend of varieties?  I won't go so far as to say that using multiple onion varieties is a requirement of great French onion soup, but I do think that if you're shopping around and have options, there's no harm in mixing it up.

**  Red onions take on a bit of a dull gray color compared with the other types when browned, but this doesn't bother me much once they're simmered in the broth.

If not, inexpensive yellow onions are probably your best bet.

Caramelization can be a wildly inconsistent process. Different pots and pans, batch sizes, and fats all change how (and how quickly) onions caramelize.

Let's start, though, with one immutable fact: Contrary to almost every recipe I've read, onions do not caramelize in 15 minutes. They also don't caramelize in 25 minutes. And, unless you're cooking a very small batch, you'll be lucky if they're done in 45 minutes.

Yes, over high heat, onions can brown on the surface very quickly, especially in a pan that's not crowded. But the goal of caramelizing onions isn't just to brown the surface; it's to transform the onions so that they're soft and sweet to the core. Try to rush it and all you'll end up doing is burning them. Here's the skinny: Caramelizing onions, even to the lesser degree I'm advocating here, takes at least an hour, sometimes two. In the oven it took me about three hours at 375°F (190°C), though the oven requires less frequent stirring. (It's also more likely to produce over-browned bits as the onions reduce and their residue scorches on the side of the pot, which makes it a method I'm less enthusiastic about, though not completely opposed to.)

What about all those other variables? In my tests, I found that butter not only produces much more delicious caramelized onions than oil, but also kicks off the browning reactions more quickly, thanks to the propensity for the milk solids in butter to brown.

As for cooking vessels, I had the best results in  cast iron  and  carbon steel , with  stainless steel  coming in a close second.  Enameled cast iron , on the other hand, didn't perform as well. For some reason, the onions are much slower to brown in an enameled pot.

In the enameled pot, the enamel surface turned more and more brown while the onions remained white; I had to keep adding water to scrape up the browned bits before they burned, while waiting for the onions to transform. Adding water isn't inherently problematic—sometimes you have to deglaze, especially in stainless steel, to avoid burning the  fond  during the caramelization process—but enamel made it necessary to deglaze constantly. Of all the pot materials, cast iron and black steel required the least deglazing, possibly because their seasoned finishes provide a nonstick surface that keeps the sugars off the pan and on the onions.

One technique I wanted to test was using baking soda to speed up browning reactions, which works by raising the pH—foods brown more quickly in alkaline environments.

But even at minimal levels of a quarter teaspoon of baking soda in one and a half pounds of onion, it turned them an unappealing green-yellow color, reduced them to mush, and gave them an unpleasant flavor. I don't think it's worth it.

Sugar is another ingredient that is commonly added to onions to help speed up their caramelization. I did side-by-side batches, and, while sugar definitely helps, I found that even in small amounts, it boosts the onions' sweetness to candy levels. Some people like this, but then again, some people have much sweeter teeth than I do. In most cases, I find that onions have more than enough of their own sugars to caramelize and sweeten deeply and in a balanced way; additional sugar risks taking them over the top. As with tomato sauce, I'd rather use sugar only when it's necessary to correct a particular batch of onions that isn't sweet enough, rather than think of it as a required ingredient.

Where does that leave us? Actually, at a very classic place. To my taste, the most delicious caramelized onions are cooked slowly in butter the old-fashioned way. It takes time and is free of cool tricks, but I think it delivers the best results. This is something  Kenji has written about before when describing his shortcut method of caramelizing onions : While there are ways to speed the process up, for a dish as reliant on great caramelized onions as French onion soup, the best method is taking your time to do it right.

With the onions caramelized, the next step is to add the liquid and simmer it all together. I start with some sherry, since I love that nutty, oxidized flavor with the caramelized onions. You could also use vermouth or white wine, and some folks even use red wine or port. Take your pick; they're all good.

Next comes the stock, which is the second most important component of the soup. Traditionally, the stock of choice for French onion soup is beef stock, but beef stock is very time-consuming to make at home. Store-bought versions, meanwhile, are so terrible, they're not worth considering unless you happen to buy your beef stock from a butcher or other store that sells the good stuff.

The very best option is to make beef stock at home using a pressure cooker. Thanks to the higher heat that a pressure cooker allows, the traditionally time-consuming and laborious task of making great beef stock at home becomes much more practical.

While homemade beef stock is the very best option, there's no reason to turn your nose up at chicken stock, which is without a doubt the most versatile of all stocks to keep on hand in the kitchen. A great homemade chicken stock will produce an absolutely phenomenal French onion soup, and a good store-bought brand can still make a more than good enough version. Take a look at  our chicken stock taste test  for some recommended brands.

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

With our building blocks in place, the final step is fixing up the bowls for serving.

I start by buttering warm croutons and rubbing them with garlic.

Then I spoon a little of the soup into each (oven-safe) bowl. I set a crouton on top and top that with cheese.

Then I ladle in the bulk of the soup, nearly filling up each bowl. I add another crouton on top of that.

And finish it with a very generous grating of Gruyère cheese. I broil the soups until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, then top each one off with a garnish of minced chives, for a little hit of fresh onion flavor to play off the deep sweetness of the cooked onions.

Each spoonful should be a mix of melted cheese, broth, tender onions, and bread. Aside from the time it takes, it couldn't be easier, or more satisfying.

January 2015

Recipe Details

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter , plus more for bread

3 pounds (1.4kg) yellow or mixed onions , sliced 1/8 inch thick (see note)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, divided

1/2 cup ( 120 ml ) dry sherry (such as Amontillado)

2 quarts (1.8L) homemade beef stock or  homemade  or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

2 sprigs thyme

1 teaspoon ( 5 ml ) Asian fish sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon ( 5 ml ) cider vinegar

8 bowl-size slices rustic bread , toasted until crisp

1 medium clove garlic

1 pound ( 450 g ) Gruyère cheese , grated

2 tablespoons freshly minced chives , for garnish

In a large stainless steel saucepan, or in 2 large stainless steel or cast iron skillets, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very sweet and a rich golden-brown color, 1 to 2 hours. If browned onion juices on bottom of pot threaten to burn, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) water, scrape up browned bits, and continue cooking. Season with salt and pepper.

Add sherry and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. (If using 2 skillets, divide sherry between them, then scrape onions and liquid from both pans into a pot or Dutch oven to continue.) Cook until alcohol smell is mostly gone, about 3 minutes. Add stock, thyme, and bay leaf; raise heat to medium-high; and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add fish sauce, if using, and cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Preheat broiler and adjust oven rack to top position. Butter toasts and rub with garlic clove until fragrant. Spoon a small amount of broth into the bottoms of 4 ovenproof serving bowls, then top with half the toasts. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top of toasts, then spoon more soup and onions on top, nearly filling bowls. Set remaining 4 toasts in bowls, pushing to nearly submerge them. Top with remaining grated cheese and set bowls on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until cheese is melted and browned in spots. Garnish with chives and serve.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet , large stainless steel or cast iron saucepan

Yellow onions are your best all-purpose bet for this soup, but a mix of yellow, sweet (e.g., Vidalia), and red onions, as well as shallots, produces an even more complex flavor.

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RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup is essentially caramelised onion in soup form topped with cheesy bread. The French are genius!

Caramelising onions calls for patience, but it’s worth it. You’ll be rewarded with deeply golden, intensely sweet onions that forms an incredible flavour base for this French Onion Soup. For an effortless option, see how to caramelise onions in a  slow cooker !

THE ICONIC FRENCH ONION SOUP!

French Onion Soup is probably one of the most epic soups in this whole wide world. And yet, the soup itself is made with very few core ingredients: butter, onions, flour and stock/broth.

The magic is in the caramelisation of the onions, cooked slowly for at least 40 minutes. And of course the crowning glory – the glorious melted cheese toast!! Because let’s face it – French Onion Soup without the cheesy toast is just onion soup.  Meh!

CARAMELISED ONIONS – STOVE OR SLOW COOKER

The caramelised onions are the star of the soup (well, on par with the cheesy toast). Making caramelised onions the classic way on the stove takes upwards of 45 minutes for a giant mound like we use for French Onion Soup.

It’s not high-stress or high-energy effort. For most of the time, the onions are cooked over low heat so you just need to stir them every now and then. 

It’s the sort of thing that’s good to make while pottering around the kitchen doing other things. My cast iron pot is 24 cm / 10″ wide and it was full to the brim with raw onions and took almost an hour to caramelise. If you have a wider base pot, it will be faster – probably closer to 45 minutes.

Though of course, if this all seems like too much effort for you…… introducing….

SLOW COOKER CARAMELIZED ONIONS!!!

Yes. You. Can!!!

I first learned of this from a reader then found this recipe on TheKitchn. Terrifically convenient and totally hands off, just throw the onions in, drizzle with butter or oil then leave on low for 10 hours.

This will get you 75% of the way there. The onions are browned a bit but lack the same intensity of flavour you get from caramelising on the stove.

So you do still need to cook the onions on the stove for 10 – 15 minutes to achieve the same true flavour. And while one may wonder what’s the point, there’s a big difference between cooking down onions for almost an hour on the stove vs 10 minutes.

Plus, no having to man-handle a gigantic mound of onions in a pot that’s too small (me, me!).

THE REST IS EASY!

Caramelised onions aside, the rest of the soup is effortless. Get all the tasty brown stuff off the bottom of the pot by deglazing it with a touch of wine. A touch of flour to thicken the soup every so slightly, a LOT of broth, and an optional sprig of thyme and bay leaves.

GOOD BEEF BROTH IS A MUST!

If you use store bought, which I often do, use a  good quality beef broth/stock.  I personally do not recommend any of the mainstream brands sold in Australian supermarkets. I use Maggie Beer and Moredough from Harris Farms (I stock up when it’s on sale!), or private labels from butchers.

If you can’t get good quality beef broth,  use chicken or vegetable instead. I find that the quality of those by mainstream brands is much better than the beef stock. The beef is fine to use in things like gravy and stews, but not when it’s a key ingredient like in this recipe.

DON’T HAVE OVEN-PROOF SOUP BOWLS?

Neither do I! Can’t justify the storage for ONE soup that calls for it. Sure, it looks thoroughly dramatic to be served a piping hot bowl from the oven with the entire surface covered in bubbling cheese (and a piece of bread under there somewhere).

But actually, I prefer making grilled cheese separately and popping them in the bowl because the bread isn’t as soggy from absorbing the soup by the time it gets to the table.

And lastly, a little tip – try the grilled cheese with your very own homemade Artisan bread . It is mind blowingly easy and has been wildly popular with readers since the day I shared it!  –  Nagi x

FRENCH ONION SOUP RECIPE WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Ingredients

• ▢ 100 g / 3.5oz unsalted butter
• ▢ 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb brown / yellow onions , peeled, halved, thinly sliced top to bottom (Note 1)
• ▢ 3/4 cup (185ml) dry white wine , optional (Note 2)
• ▢ 2 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
• ▢ 1.5 litres / 6 cups / 1.5 quarts good quality beef broth./stock OR chicken , low sodium/salt reduced (Note 3)
• ▢ 2 dried bay leaves (or 3 fresh) (optional)
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
• ▢ Salt and pepper

Cheesy Toast

• ▢ 6 - 8 slices French baguette or other softish bread (Note 4)
• ▢ 100 g / 3.5 oz gruyere or mozzarella cheese, or other melting cheese of choice
• ▢ Fresh parsley or thyme leaves , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Caramelise onions (see notes for slow cooker option).

• Melt butter in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat. When it starts to foam, add onions and stir to coat in butter.
• 30 min on medium low:  Turn heat down to medium low. Cook for 30 minutes stirring every few minutes, until the onions have softened and are semi transparent. 
• Salt, 20 min on medium high:  Turn heat up to medium or medium high. Add salt, and cook for a further 20 - 30 minutes, stirring more regularly, until onions are deep golden and sweet.
• Deglaze: Add wine, then simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated, stirring to scrape the bottom of the pot.
• Flour:  Sprinkle flour over the onion and cook for 1 minute.
• Add broth & herbs:  Add broth, thyme and bay leaves. 
• Simmer:  Cover, lower heat so it's simmering gently then simmer for 30 minutes. 
• Serve:  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Top with 1 or 2 slices of cheesy toast.

Cheese Toast:

• Preheat grill / broiler to high.Toast each side of bread until light golden.
• Top bread with cheese, then grill until melted and some brown spots appear.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information:, complete your french menu.

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LIFE OF DOZER

I KNEW I’d find a use for those onion goggles one day! 😂 (I don’t need them, I wear contacts so I’m onion-proof. Gimme all the onions to chop!)

French Onion Soup recipe originally published in September 2016 as part of a Chasseur cast iron cookware giveaway. Since this time, the recipe has evolved (adding more flavourings – wine, thyme and bay leaves) so new photos, words and recipe video added!

Hi, I'm Nagi !

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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1,391 Comments

March 13, 2024 at 5:49 pm

Great French Onion soup, love how you can show slicing an onion, without having to show how to slice 6 onions like other sites. Best on the Net !!!

January 3, 2024 at 11:36 pm

January 2, 2024 at 3:12 am

December 16, 2023 at 5:21 am

December 9, 2023 at 3:33 am

Hi Nagi! Congrats on your well-deserved success! I asked for your book last Xmas & have it.

How to do the onion soup with the bone broth?

November 13, 2023 at 12:54 pm

September 16, 2023 at 11:09 pm

August 11, 2023 at 10:20 am

Loved, loved, loved this soup. Simple to make and will be on my list in future. Keep up the great recipes Nagi, they are my go to.

May 6, 2023 at 4:53 pm

Hello! Can I make this the day before the dinner party? Or is it best made and consumed in the same day? Thanks! P.S. I’m creating a French degustation meal using your recipes to celebrate my 40th in a few months time! Love your work!

May 3, 2023 at 7:45 pm

January 17, 2023 at 11:14 am

October 18, 2022 at 11:46 am

Would one be able to use dry sherry in place of the wine?

August 29, 2022 at 4:59 pm

August 3, 2022 at 9:06 am

July 9, 2022 at 10:58 am

May 24, 2022 at 3:28 pm

I prepared this soup yesterday and its really delicious 😋

May 24, 2022 at 4:05 pm

That’s amazing Beatrice! I am glad that you enjoyed it!! N x

April 24, 2022 at 6:46 pm

Hi, I’m making this recipe tomorrow for the first time, I’ve never made a French Onion soup before either. I am just wondering if anyone has tried it both ways regarding the preparation of the caramelised onions and if so which way do you think worked out best? Also I got the Mimi’s brand beef stock, I’m hoping that is a superior brand.. Any feedback welcomed, many thanks.

April 23, 2022 at 8:29 pm

April 24, 2022 at 5:50 pm

Thanks for those tips, Joanne!! N x

April 23, 2022 at 1:15 am

April 23, 2022 at 6:53 am

April 24, 2022 at 6:27 pm

It will freeze well Ann! N x

September 8, 2023 at 1:25 pm

April 23, 2022 at 1:13 am

April 29, 2022 at 10:47 am

Might I suggest some goggles??!! 👨🏽‍🔬🥽👀😹 N x

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French Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 100g butter, coarsely chopped
• 2kg onions, thinly sliced
• 1 litre beef stock (4 cups) (substitute with vegetable stock for vegetarians)
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 3 parsley stalks
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 8 1cm-thick slices of baguette cut on diagonal, lightly toasted
• 250 gm coarsely grated Gruyère
• Melt butter in a large, wide heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until onions are soft. Remove lid and cook for 1 hour or until soft and starting to caramelise.
• Add stock, ½ a cup at a time, and simmer for 5 minutes or until stock has almost evaporated. Repeat three times more until 2 cups of stock has been added.
• Using kitchen twine, tie herbs together, add to onions with remaining stock and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, scraping the base to remove any caramelised bits, for 40 minutes or until thick. Makes 6 cups.
• Preheat oven to 200C. Ladle soup into 1½ capacity oven-proof bowls and transfer to an oven tray. Scatter with half the cheese, top each with two toasted baguette slices and scatter with remaining cheese. Place in oven and cook for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

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French Onion Soup

With slow, gentle cooking, plain onions become rich, golden and caramelized. The additions of wine and sherry make this comforting soup – which is amped up even further when topped with slices of toasted baguette and lots of melted cheese – especially nice for warming you up on chilly winter days.

Ingredients   

• ¼ cup butter melted
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 4 large Vidalia onions cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
• 2 tbsp dry sherry
• 6 cups good-quality beef stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices baguette
• 1¼ cups shredded Emmenthal cheese
• 1¼ cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Instructions  

• In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just beginning to colour, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just wilted; reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking onions, stirring occasionally and scraping up golden bits from bottom of pot, until they are richly caramelized and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Add sherry and cook until evaporated and syrupy, 2 minutes. Add stock, wine, thyme, salt and pepper; cook for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to broil.
• Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet. Broil on centre rack until evenly toasted on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
• In bowl, combine Emmenthal and Gruyère cheeses. Place 6 oven-safe bowls on baking sheet; divide onion soup among bowls. Sprinkle some of the cheese mixture into each bowl. Layer with a slice of baguette and top generously with remaining cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Baked Cheese
• Caramelized Onions
• Comfort Food
• Slow Cooking
• Vegetable Soups
• Vegetarian Soups

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The BEST French Onion Soup Recipe (AKA My Mom's)

T his is one of my favorite recipes of all time.  My mom always made this soup for special occasions when I was growing up, and it's now a classic in our family. Over the years my mom switched out the classic baguette for sourdough and changed basic beef broth to an unctuous consommé of beef.  Trust me, you want to track down consommé of beef.  It makes a world of difference. 

This recipe is great as is, but depending on what I have on hand (or my mood) I switch out some of the Swiss cheese for freshly grated gruyere; add a splash of brandy to deglaze the onion pan before adding the onion mix to the broth; or sometimes change out a yellow onion for a sweet onion and add a shallot.  I love that it adds another few layers to an already magical soup. 

Fun bonus: This is the best French Onion soup recipe in the world andddd incredibly easy to make.  

Below is my mom’s original recipe: 

Ingredients:

One stick butter

5 large yellow onions- sliced 

5 cans consommé of beef (add water as directed)

1¼ lb. Swiss cheese, freshly grated

8 oz. parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Sliced sourdough bread toasted (browned and slightly charred)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

Instructions:

Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until they become golden brown and caramelized (about 30 minutes). Some onions should be dark brown, nearly charred.  At the same time, heat the consommé of beef with Worcestershire sauce in a large pot. 

Add cooked onions to consommé of beef and Worcestershire sauce broth and simmer for 20-30 minutes for flavors to combine.

While the soup is simmering, toast sourdough bread to golden brown (some parts of the toast should be dark brown).

Grate Swiss cheese and parmesan into two separate dishes.

Ladle the soup into broiler-proof bowls. 

Place sourdough toast on top of soup in bowls. 

Sprinkle generous amounts of freshly grated Swiss cheese on top of the sourdough toast. Add parmesan cheese on top of the Swiss cheese. 

Place bowls on a baking sheet and position them under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, achieving a deep golden brown crust (usually 3-5 minutes). Monitor this step closely to prevent burning or overflow.

Carefully remove from the oven (bowls will be hot), and let soup cool for a few minutes before serving.