French Onion Soup
Comforting and delicious, this classic french onion soup recipe is made with caramelized onions and a savory beef broth. It is topped with crusty sourdough bread and melted Gruyere and provolone cheese for a satisfying soup that the whole family will love!
As Spring quickly approaches, it is still rather chilly here in Upstate New York and one of my favorite meals to prepare when the weather is like this is soup! So I wanted to cook my french onion soup one last time and share it with you before the warmer weather finally makes its grand entrance. This soup is really easy to make but you do have to have a bit of patience. It is more time consuming than other soups, as the process of caramelizing the onions takes some time but I promise that it is totally worth it!
French onion soup has been around for centuries and is served in many restaurants all over the world. I have tried my fair share of it from different places and I have tried cooking different variations, as well. However, this recipe is my favorite and my husband always requests it so I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
What you’ll need to make French Onion Soup:
- Onions – sweet or yellow
- Beef broth
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh thyme
- Bay leaves
- Butter and olive oil
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- All-purpose flour
- Sourdough bread or other crusty bread – for topping
- Gruyere and provolone cheese or other cheeses of your choice – for topping
You will also need a large Dutch oven or stock pot to cook the soup in. Broiler-safe ramekins, these french onion soup bowl crocks or other broiler-safe bowls to serve it in are also needed. I always use my tried and true Corning ware bowls!
The process of making French Onion Soup:
To start off with, slice all of the onions and set aside. If cutting onions makes your eyes water like me, there are different hacks you can try! When you cut an onion, it releases chemicals which irritate your eyes. It is suggested that you can possibly reduce your chance of tears by chilling your onions in the fridge prior to cutting them for at least 30 minutes. Also, use the sharpest knife that you have to limit the damage to the onion’s flesh. It’s worth a try!
Next we begin the process of caramelizing the onions. This part does take some time and patience, so might as well pour yourself a glass of wine while you wait. We are going to be adding some in our soup so why not add some in your glass too! Heat the butter and olive oil in your Dutch oven or stock pot on medium to high heat. Toss in the sliced onions. Stir until the onions are completely coated with the melted butter and oil. Allow them to cook until the bottom starts to turn a light golden brown, then give them a good stir. Repeat this process, stirring occasionally until all of the onions are a deep golden brown color, about 35-45 minutes. You may need to stir more frequently toward the end of the cooking process to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Once the onions are caramelized, add the minced garlic cloves, stir and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Then stir in the flour, this will help thicken the soup. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring consistently. Next, deglaze the pot with the white wine, using a wooden spoon or something similar to scrape the brown off the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients consisting of the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, turn the heat to low and simmer covered for at least 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
While the soup is simmering, slice your bread. You can either place the bread on top of the soup as is or you can take the time to pop it in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 7-10 minutes to toast it before adding to the soup.
Turn your broiler on high. Set up your broiler-safe ramekins or bowls (I always use my tried and true Corning ware bowls) on a baking sheet. Using a soup ladle, scoop the soup into the bowls and gently set the bread on top followed by a couple slices of the Gruyere cheese and a slice of provolone. Place them in the broiler on high and broil for about 3-5 minutes, consistently checking to make certain that the cheese is not burning.
Once the cheese is golden brown on top, take the soup out of the broiler. Allow the bowls to cool down a bit before serving. Garnish with a little fresh thyme, serve and enjoy!
Ingredient substitutions:
- Broth – Instead of using beef broth, you can use vegetable stock to make this dish vegetarian.
- Bread – I personally love Sourdough bread, it is my absolute favorite and my go-to bread for everything but you can absolutely try any bread of your choice. French baguettes being an awesome choice or any other type of fresh bread will work just fine. You can also substitute the bread for store-bought croutons to save time!
- Cheese – This recipe calls for Gruyere and provolone cheese. Gruyere cheese is traditionally used in French onion soup and I love using provolone because it is mild in flavor. However, you can try other cheese such as Swiss, Gouda or Edam cheese. It is totally your preference!
- Herbs – Instead of using the fresh thyme, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead.
Love this soup? Try these other recipes!
– Tomato Soup with Beans and Spinach
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet onions sliced (about 5 large onions)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- sourdough bread sliced and toasted
- Gruyere cheese sliced or grated
- provolone cheese sliced or grated
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot on medium heat. Stir in the onions until they are completely coated with the melted butter and oil. Allow them to cook until the bottom starts to turn a light golden brown, then stir. Repeat this process, stirring occasionally until all of the onions are a deep golden brown color, about 35-45 minutes, stirring more frequently toward the end.
- Once the onions are caramelized, add the garlic, stir and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in the flour. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring consistently.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot. Use a wooden spoon or something similar to scrape the brown off the bottom. Cook for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, turn the heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Preheat oven to 400℉. While the soup is simmering, slice your bread and toast in the oven for about 7-10 minutes. Take the bread out and set aside.
- Turn the broiler on high. Set up your broiler-safe ramekins or bowls on a baking sheet. Dish the soup into the bowls and gently set the toasted bread on top followed by the Gruyere and provolone cheese. Place them in the broiler for about 3-5 minutes, consistently checking to make certain that the cheese is not burning.
- Once the cheese turns golden brown, take the soup out of the broiler. Allow it to cool down before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme and enjoy!
Soooooo good!!!Easy to make and delicious!!!
So glad you like the recipe!