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The BEST Classic French Onion Soup Recipe for Cozy Nights

Close-up of a baked french onion soup recipe in a crock, topped with melted, bubbly cheese on toasted bread slices.
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Make this classic French onion soup recipe at home. You achieve deep flavor from slow-caramelized onions, a rich beef broth, and a perfect, bubbling Gruyère cheese topping over toasted baguette slices. This is the ultimate comfort food.

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 substitute with more 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 Gruyere cheese (or Swiss cheese)

Instructions

  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, salt, and sugar.
  2. Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes. You must cook them until they are deeply caramelized to a dark brown color. Patience here creates the deep flavor for your homemade onion soup.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let it cook for at least 30 minutes to let the savory onion broth flavors meld. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Preheat your broiler. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them lightly under the broiler until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Ladle the hot French onion soup into oven-safe bowls. Place one or two toasted baguette slices on top of the soup in each bowl.
  8. Generously cover the bread with grated Gruyere cheese.
  9. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Serve this impressive comfort food immediately.

Notes

  • For a vegetarian French onion soup, substitute the beef stock with a high-quality vegetable broth.
  • If you do not have oven-safe bowls, you can melt the cheese on the bread slices separately and float them on top just before serving.
  • Using a mix of Gruyere and Provolone gives you great melt and flavor for the cheesy baked soup topping.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/french-onion-soup-recipe-best-comfort-food/