Go Back

French Onion Soup

French onion soup with deeply caramelized, jammy onions and a wine-deglazed beef broth, simmered until fragrant. Topped with toasted baguette and a Gruyère-Parmesan broil for a golden, bubbling cheese crust.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French
Calories: 590
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lb yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter for melting with olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup dry white wine or sherry
  • 6 cup beef broth
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 6 baguette or French bread slices, toasted
  • 2 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Caramelize the onions
  1. Melt butter with olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, then add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt (stir to coat). Cook 60-70 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until deeply golden, jammy, and caramelized (visual cue: thick, dark caramel color).
  2. Deglaze with wine by pouring it into the pot and scraping up all browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 3 minutes to reduce slightly (visual cue: small bubbles and dark fond dissolving).
Simmer the soup
  1. Add beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes (visual cue: gentle bubbling around the edges).
  2. Remove the thyme and bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper to taste (visual cue: broth tastes balanced and warmed through).
Broil the cheesy topping
  1. Ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks, then float toasted baguette slices on top (visual cue: bread sits at the surface and starts to soak).
  2. Pile Gruyère and parmesan over the bread, then broil for 3-4 minutes until melted and bubbly (visual cue: golden-brown cheese with active bubbling).

Notes

Pro tip: stir on a schedule (every 10-15 minutes) so the onions caramelize evenly without burning; if they darken too fast, drop the heat slightly. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3-4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven until hot. Freezing is not recommended for best texture of the onions and bread topping. For a lighter option, reduce butter to 3 tbsp and use low-sodium beef broth (taste may need a touch more salt).