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The Ultimate Classic French Onion Soup Recipe: Rich, Flavorful, and Easier Than You Think

Close-up of a bowl of rich french onion soup recipe topped with a thick, melted, and browned Gruyère cheese layer on toast.
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Make rich and flavorful French Onion Soup that tastes like a Parisian bistro. This recipe focuses on deep caramelization for a savory, comforting dish, topped with perfectly melted Gruyère cheese.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (or extra broth)
  • 8 cups rich beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 baguette, sliced into thick rounds
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the thinly sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the onions soften.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking the onions slowly for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until they are deeply caramelized to a dark brown color. Do not rush this step for the best flavor.
  4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
  6. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaves.
  7. Preheat your broiler. Place oven-safe soup crocks on a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the crocks.
  8. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette. Sprinkle generously with grated Gruyère cheese.
  9. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use high-quality, rich beef broth. This is key to authentic French Onion Soup.
  • If you do not have oven-safe crocks, you can toast the bread separately and melt the cheese under the broiler on a baking sheet, then carefully place the cheesy bread on top of the soup just before serving.
  • This recipe works well as a weeknight comfort dinner, but the onion caramelization requires patience.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/french-onion-soup-recipe/