French Onion Soup (Print View)

Savory French classic with caramelized alliums in rich broth, finished with melted Gruyère and crispy bread

# What You'll Need:

→ Alliums

01 - 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
03 - 3 shallots, thinly sliced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Fats

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Umami

07 - 8 cups high-quality beef broth
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
11 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ Bread & Cheese

13 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
14 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
15 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Seasonings

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.
02 - Add the sliced onions, leeks, and shallots. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft and deep golden brown, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
03 - Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.
04 - Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf from the pot.
06 - Position the oven broiler and allow it to preheat.
07 - Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with toasted baguette slices and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese.
09 - Place bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
10 - Remove from broiler and serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh thyme if desired.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The caramelization process is oddly therapeutic, and you'll taste exactly why those slow-cooked onions matter so much.
  • Melted Gruyère draped over toasted bread creates this moment of pure comfort that justifies the wait.
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes like you spent hours in a French kitchen, but your effort is straightforward and honest.
02 -
  • The caramelization step cannot be rushed, and turning up the heat will give you dark onions but not the deep sweetness that makes this soup special.
  • Oven-safe bowls are not optional because regular bowls will crack under the broiler, and discovering this mid-soup is not how you want to learn.
  • Toasting the bread separately instead of floating raw slices in the soup keeps them crispy on top and prevents them from turning into mush in seconds.
03 -
  • Make this soup a day or two ahead because the flavors actually deepen and become more integrated as it sits in the refrigerator.
  • If your bread isn't getting crispy under the broiler, try toasting it in a regular oven at four hundred twenty-five degrees first, which gives you more control.
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