Who doesn’t love French Onion Soup? It’s oniony, cheesy, and packed with flavor. It’s also not a hard soup to make, but it’s so easy to go wrong. I’ve perfected this soup over my lifetime career as a chef, and let me tell you, this is the only French Onion Soup Recipe you’ll ever need.
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I love French Onion Soup, and I’m a huge foodie when it comes to soups. I’ve even written and published a soup cookbook, so I know my soups. French Onion Soup is one of those restaurant-quality soups that you can make at home, and it’s not hard to make! It takes some patience to caramelize the onions, but that’s the hardest part.
My French Onion Soup recipe is a little different than some others. First, it’s not thickened. I cringe when I see soup recipes that call for flour, cornstarch or other thickeners. This is a brothy soup, and the cheese will help thicken the liquid a bit.
This recipe also has both chicken and beef broth in it, plus a good glug of red wine. Soups that are made with just beef broth are too beefy, and chicken broth isn’t rich enough. But the combination of both broths plus the wine is magic.
What you’ll love about French Onion Soup
- This soup can often be too sweet, but my recipe is well-balanced. Their sweetness comes from caramelized onions, and there’s no added sugar in this soup.
- There’s no added flour, either, so if you use gluten-free bread for the topping, then this can be a gluten-free onion soup.
- It’s easy to make, and you can caramelize the onions a day or two in advance. Make extra onions and eat them with brie and toasted baguette – yummy!
Ingredients
- Butter – I cook with salted butter.
- Onions – Use yellow or white onions.
- Bay leaves – Just 1 or 2.
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Red wine
- Beef broth – Use low or no sodium-added beef broth.
- Chicken broth – Use low or no sodium-added chicken broth.
- Gruyere cheese – Shredded.
- Baguette slices – Toasted.
How to Make French Onion Soup
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the onions, bay leaf and thyme sprigs, stirring frequently, until they are soft and golden brown. Don’t rush this step; it’ll take 30-40 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine, allowing it to simmer and reduce until there’s not much more than a thin layer left in the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in both the beef and chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven’s broiler.
- Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, placing a couple of toasted baguette slices on top.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of grated Gruyere cheese over the baguette slices.
- Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Serve and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Slow and steady wins the race; take your time caramelizing the onions to unlock their natural sweetness.
- If you don’t have fresh thyme, use ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme.
- You can use Spanish or Vidalia onions, but your soup will be sweeter.
- Season the soup well, but remember that cheese is salty and will add more salt to your soup. I under season the soup by just a wee bit to account for salty cheese.
Best Cheese For French Onion Soup
Gruyere cheese is my top choice for this soup because it melts wonderfully and has a rich, complex, nutty flavor. But, it can be expensive. Some other good alternatives are Parmesan, Swiss, or even mozzarella. Just don’t skimp on the cheese!
Recommended
Make It A Meal
French Onion Soup stands splendidly on its own, but it can also be part of a more substantial meal. Pair it with a crisp, green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette to add a fresh contrast to the rich soup. For a heartier option, consider serving it alongside a grilled steak or a homey dish like German Pot Roast.
For soup on the go! Stays hot and looks great, too!
Storage
French Onion Soup stores beautifully, making it a great make-ahead dish. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days without the bread and cheese topping. Store those separately. If you’d like to freeze it, omit the cheese and bread topping, and freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove, adding fresh cheese and toasted baguette slices before serving.
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter unsalted butter is fine
- 2 pounds oinion white or yellow cooking onions
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup red wine
- 3 cups chicken broth use low or no sodium added
- 3 cups beef broth use low or no sodium added
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- baguette slices you need about 6 slices cut 1/2 inch thick
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the onions, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs, stirring frequently, until they are soft and golden brown. Don’t rush this step; it’ll take 30-40 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine, allowing it to simmer, and reduce until there’s not much more than a thin layer left in the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in both the beef and chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven's broiler.
- Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, placing a couple of toasted baguette slices on top.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of grated Gruyere cheese over the baguette slices.
- Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Slow and steady wins the race; take your time caramelizing the onions to unlock their natural sweetness.
- If you don’t have fresh thyme, use ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme.
- You can use Spanish or Vidalia onions, but your soup will be sweeter.
- Season the soup well, but remember that cheese is salty and will add more salt to your soup. I underseason the soup by just a wee bit to account for salty cheese.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
