There is nothing better than a big bowl of warm French onion soup and it is one of my favorite comfort foods. Slightly sweet, thanks to the caramelized onions, and savory thanks to the broth, this is a classic recipe that is on repeat during the colder months. Cooked low and slow, the caramelized onions really make the dish, and the hardest part about this recipe is being patient. This onion soup recipe is pure comfort food that everyone will love. Try my broccoli cheese soup recipe or lentil soup recipe if you’re craving another cozy recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Onions — while you could use any type of onions, I prefer yellow onions. They have a bright flavor and provide a lot of sweetness to the soup and do not have much bitterness to them.
Flour — the flour is meant to help thicken the soup so feel free to use any flour you have on hand.
White wine — the wine not only deglazes the pot but also adds an extra depth of flavor to the soup. Some dry white wines that are great for this onion soup are Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay.
Beef broth — To get the best French onion soup, use a good quality beef broth as it is the base of your soup and adds a ton of richness to it.
How to Make French Onion Soup
1. Peel and thinly slice the onions.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat before adding the onions and salt. Cover the pot and cook until the onions have softened.
3. Uncover the pot and continue to cook until its a deep golden brown and caramelized, stirring every few minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and flour and continue to stir for another minute.
5. Deglaze the pot by slowly pouring in the white wine.
6. Add the warm stock, thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes and then stir in the brandy. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
7. Divide the French onion soup into broiler-safe bowls and top each of the soup bowls with baguette slices.
8. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of cheese and broil the soup until the cheese is bubbly.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- I highly recommend grating your own cheese as pre-shredded cheese has an anti-clumping coating on it which can prevent it from melting smoothly. To quickly shred a large block of cheese, use a food processor with a grater attachment. You can also use a handheld grater.
- I recommend placing each bowl of soup on a parchment paper lined sheet pan to make it easier to transfer the soup into the oven to broil. Plus, if any soup bubbles over, it won’t end up at the bottom of your oven.
- This soup is just as tasty with chicken stock or vegetable stock if you don’t have beef stock on hand.
- If you do not have any oven-safe serving bowls, you can place the slices of bread on a lined sheet pan and top that with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melty, and transfer the baguettes with a spatula onto your bowls of soup.
- You need to be patient while making French onion soup. The onions must go through the caramelization process for the best flavor. Slightly browned onions will not lead to the classic flavors of French onion soup.
- If you do not have fresh thyme, you can use dried thyme in place. ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme is equal to approximately one sprig of thyme.
- Do not skip deglazing the pot. There is so much flavor in the browned bits at the bottom of the pot!
- Don’t have french bread or a baguette? Try using croutons instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use wine or brandy?
If you want to skip the alcohol, you can simply omit it altogether and add the same amount of liquid in broth. A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce are a great addition if you skip the brandy.
Can I use a different cheese?
If you’re not a fan of gruyere cheese, you can use any melty cheese. I also like gouda, swiss cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese.
How do I store leftover soup?
To store leftover soup, cool completely, then transfer to a large airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the soup, you can warm it back up in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can also bake (not broil) the soup with the baguette and cheese at 350F until the soup has warmed through.
Is this soup freezer-friendly?
This French onion soup freezes wonderfully. Once the soup has cooled, transfer it to freezer-safe containers, making sure to leave some space for the soup to expand when frozen. Freeze the soup for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge and add fresh sliced baguettes and cheese on top.
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If you’ve tried this French Onion Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
French Onion Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 to 6 large yellow onions peeled and thinly sliced (3 pounds/1350g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 to 6 cups warm beef stock
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons brandy
- 1 baguette cut into ½-inch-thick slices
- 2 cups grated gruyere cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, just until the onions are softened and starting to release moisture.
- Uncover, and continue cooking, stirring, every few minutes, until deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 1 hour. (The onions will stick some, but if they appear to be burning, reduce the heat or add a tablespoon of water when stirring. Towards the end of the cooking time, you may need to stir every minute or so to keep them from burning.)
- Once the onions are caramelized, stir in the garlic and flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to deglaze. Add the warm stock, thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Continue simmering for 20 minutes or until desired consistency. Stir in the brandy and simmer for a few more minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- When ready to serve, preheat the oven to High broil (500F). Divide the soup into broiler-proof serving bowls. Top each with a slice or two of bread and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese.
- Broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is very bubbly and just starting to brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I highly recommend grating your own cheese as pre-shredded cheese has an anti-clumping coating on it, preventing it from melting smoothly. To quickly shred a large block of cheese, use a food processor with a grater attachment. You can also use a handheld grater.
- I recommend placing each bowl of soup on a lined sheet pan to make it easier to transfer the soup into the oven to broil. Plus, if any soup bubbles over, it won’t end up at the bottom of your oven.
- This soup is just as tasty with chicken or vegetable stock if you don’t have beef stock on hand.
- If you do not have any oven-safe serving bowls, you can place the slices of bread on a lined sheet pan and top that with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melty, and transfer the baguettes with a spatula onto your bowls of soup.
- You need to be patient while making this recipe. The onions must be caramelized for the best flavor. Slightly browned onions will not lead to the classic flavors of French onion soup.
- If you do not have fresh thyme, you can use dried thyme in place. ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme is equal to approximately one sprig of thyme.
- Do not skip deglazing the pot. There is so much flavor in the browned bits at the bottom of the pot!
- Don’t have a baguette? Try using croutons instead.
Nutrition
Made this for dinner tonight and the family loved it 😍. Wonderful flavors . I love my Dutch oven !
Any suggestions what I can replace the alcohol with? I know it will alter the taste unfortunately, but what would you recommend?
I would just skip in that case 🙂
This soup maintains the character of traditional French Onion Soup without all the hassle!
Hey Liz,
This soup is so easy to make! I’m happy you enjoyed it and thank you for the feedback!
Best,
John
I love onions soup and i am sure your recipe is different….but what replace wine and brandy please?
This was a great meal prep for the week! I used sweet onions and they tasted soo good!
Very yummy!