French Onion Soup

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Satisfying Soup Recipes to Try Conclusion Watch How to Make It

What is French Onion Soup?

A few simple ingredients make up this rich soup: buttery, sweet, caramelized onions, a beefy broth, and cheesy toasted bread are the leading players here. Honestly, pretty basic ingredients and cooking techniques create something truly magical—French onion soup. But don’t take my word for it; release your inner chef and try it for yourself. 😉

Recipe Ingredients

1. Onions – Caramelized onions, to be precise, are this soup’s main ingredient.
2. Beef and Chicken Stock – After some experimentation, I found that combining these two broths gives you the most satisfying flavor as a base for the soup.
3. White Wine – Wine adds a real depth to an already flavorful meal, and you definitely want white because red doesn’t look so good in this recipe.
4. Herbs – Bay leaves, garlic, and fresh thyme contrast beautifully with the sweet flavor the caramelized onions lend to this recipe.
5. Bread – Fresh bread tops French onion soup, making it authentic comfort food.
6. Cheese – No French recipe is complete without a little cheese. This finishing touch adds saltiness and flavor to the soup.

How to Make French Onion Soup

Make the Soup

• Cook the Onions – In a Dutch oven, add olive oil and cook sliced onions on medium heat for around 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent them from burning. (Photos 1-2)
• Caramelize Them – Add softened butter, salt, and pepper into the pot and stir well to melt and coat the onions. Turn the heat down to low and let the onions caramelize, stirring constantly until they reach a deep rich brown color. (Photo 3)
• The Roux – Add in the flour and stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Then stir in the wine while scraping the bottom of the pan to remove those flavorful browned bits. (Photos 4-5)
• Seasoning – Now, throw in bay leaves, garlic, and thyme sprigs. Then give it a quick stir. (Photo 6)
• Add Broths – Add beef and chicken stock and bring to a boil. (Photos 7-8)
• Simmer – Then simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting to taste.

Assemble the French Onion Soup

• Toast the Bread – While the soup is cooking, lightly butter both sides of the bread (or use olive oil if desired). Toast bread in the oven or a skillet for 5-7 minutes.
• Prepare the Ramekins – When the soup is ready, pour it into ramekins or individual serving bowls – just make sure they are oven safe. (Photo 9)
• Add Toast – Top each bowl with a slice or two of your French toast, followed by grated cheese. (Photo 10)
• Broil – Place bowls on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven under the broiler until the cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.
• Serve – Remove and let cool slightly. Serve with more toast if desired. (Extra toast is essential! 😜)

Recipe Variations

1. Make this recipe vegetarian by substituting beef and chicken stock for vegetable stock.
2. If you don’t have any oven-safe bowls to pop into the oven, you can skip the broiling step. Just make slices of cheesy toast in the oven or toaster, top your soup with them, and voila – you’ve got French onion soup.

Tips and Tricks

1. Gruyere cheese is the best option for this recipe as it melts easily, and it’s also rich and smooth, but parmesan cheese also works fine.
2. You can use about any onion (except red or purple, as they aren’t attractive in this recipe). While the final flavor will vary, the result will still be spectacular.
3. Use a nonstick pan to caramelize your onions. Believe me, that will make your life so much easier and prevent you from crossing that fine line that separates perfectly caramelized onions from burnt ones. 😅

Make-Ahead Instructions

Making this soup ahead of time is pretty straightforward. Simply follow the instructions for the soup part of the recipe, allow it to cool, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The next day, heat the soup on the stove and finish by toasting the bread and broiling the cheese. 

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve this soup hot out of the oven while the cheese is still bubbling and melty. I highly recommend serving extra toast with the soup – you’ll want it for dipping once you’ve finished the topping.

Store any leftover soup separate from the toast in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for 3-5 days. You can keep the toast in an airtight, resealable bag on your countertop for the same amount of time.

You could also freeze this soup for three months; just make sure to save the bread and cheese topping part until you’re ready to serve.

Reheat leftover soup on the stovetop, and once it’s hot, add the toast and cheese and broil, just like you did the first time. Easy peasy! 😃

FAQs

What Goes with French Onion Soup

This French onion soup is a meal on its own. It is a comforting soup topped with crusty cheesy bread. What more could you ask for? But when I’m feeling a little extra, I love serving it as a starter to baked chicken breast and a tossed salad.

I also like to go all out and make some fresh bread for the toast element. Try some no-knead bread or homemade white bread for the win.

More Satisfying Soup Recipes to Try

1. Egusi Soup
2. Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
3. Sweet Potato Soup
4. Hamburger Soup
5. Vegetable Beef Soup
6. Cajun Corn Shrimp Soup

Conclusion

This recipe is one you are going to want to keep coming back to for sure. Have you tried it yet? Please review it and leave a comment because I love hearing how you used your own kitchen know-how to bring my recipes to life. 💕

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was originally published in March 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.