French Onion Soup is so easy and always hits the spot on a chilly evening. Served with a side of toasted french bread covered in melty cheese that’s just begging to be dunked right into the bowl, this classic soup is seriously irresistible!
French Onion Soup
This french onion soup is straight up restaurant quality. So decadent, rich, and savory it’s perfect for an elevated dinner (while still being super easy to make). Caramelizing the onions does take a hefty chunk of time but it is absolutely well worth the effort. Plus, the rest of the recipe comes together in a jiff! Don’t skip on the cheesy french bread – it completes the dish in the very best way and will not be the same experience without it. Who would turn down french bread smothered in melted cheese anyway? You’ll be making this soup all winter long!
Love the savory flavors of french onion as much as I do? You’re in luck! I’ve got more recipes with this flavor pallet in mind. Try my French Onion Beef Gnocchi or savory French Onion Salisbury Steak!
How Do You Deepen The Flavor Of French Onion Soup?
The key to a flavorful french onion soup is to make sure you really spend time letting the onions caramelize! Don’t take any shortcuts, the onions will take 45 minutes to one hour to caramelize. Another trick is to make sure you use beef stock (not chicken or vegetable) and make sure it is a good quality broth/stock. I personally use Better than Bouillon Roasted Beef base and mix it up myself so I can get the flavor I am looking for. Don’t forget to add the herbs, and also let it simmer for a good 30 minutes too!
What red wine should I use?
Use real red wine, not cooking wine in this recipe. It makes a world of difference with taste. Use a dry red like a cabernet or a merlot. Maybe a pinot noir. Something that doesn’t have much sugar, since you don’t want anything too sweet. Of course, you’re only using 1 cup so feel free to get something that you enjoy drinking as well! A glass of red wine along with this soup during dinner? Perfection.
How To Make French Onion Soup
For the soup:
- Sauté the onions. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and stir to coat with butter. Saute the onions for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes so they don’t stick or cook unevenly.
- Add the seasoning. Toss the garlic, thyme, and sage into the pan and stir constantly for one minute.
- Add the flour. Cook the flour into the butter and onions, stirring constantly for one more minute.
- Pour in the wine and broth. Pour the red wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Now add the beef broth, worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves to the pot and stir well to combine. Reduce your heat to medium-low/low, cover and simmer the soup for 30 minutes.
For the bread:
- Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 450°F. Place the sliced French bread on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil if desired.
- Bake. Place the bread in the oven and bake for about 6-8 minutes or until toasted.
- Add the cheese. Remove the bread from the oven and top with the shredded cheese of your choice. Place the bread back in the oven for 3-4 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve. Ladle the French onion soup into bowls and serve with the cheesy bread. Enjoy!
- NOTE: IF YOU HAVE OVENPROOF RAMEKINS YOU CAN LADLE THE SOUP RIGHT INTO THEM, TOP WITH THE BREAD AND CHEESE, AND BROIL FOR 3-5 MINUTES INSTEAD OF TOASTING THE BREAD SEPARATELY.
Storing French Onion Soup
Store leftover french onion soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This soup will freeze well! Just thaw in the fridge and then heat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. I don’t suggest freezing the cheesy bread though. It’s best made just before serving the soup.
Ingredients Notes for French Onion Soup
- Onions – I like to use yellow onions but white work well in this recipe too. Red is a little too harsh for me, I prefer to use those raw for salads or on burgers. But pick your favorite! Whichever you go with you’ll need about 5 large ones and slice them very thinly.
- Flour – For a thinner soup, use less flour or omit it completely. If you want to thicken yours up a bit add more.
- Beef Broth – You can swap this for veggie stock if you are going for a vegetarian option but the beef flavor does really add to this dish. Only sub if necessary.
- Cheese – Gruyere, swiss, or mozzarella are the best with french onion if you ask me. Plus they melt so wonderfully!
- Bread – Something on the crusty side is what you’re going for. If you want to skip this step and have a similar experience you can add croutons and melt the cheese directly on top of the soup.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons Salted Butter
- 5 Large Yellow Onions Thinly Sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Sage
- 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Dry Red Wine
- 7 Cups Beef Broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 6 Slices French Baguette
- 1 Cup Shredded Gruyere, Provolone, or Swiss Cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat in butter. Saute the onions for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme, and sage to the pan and stir constantly for one minute.
- Add the flour and cook stirring constantly for one more minute.
- Pour the wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Add the broth, worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves to the pot and stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low/low and simmer the soup, covered for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil if desired.
- Bake the bread for about 6-8 minutes until toasted. Remove the bread from the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Place the bread back in the oven for 3-4 more minutes until cheese is melted.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cheese toast as desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
