Rich and Cheesy, and surprisingly easy to make, this French Onion Soup is an all-time favorite comfort food. Perfect during those cold autumn or winter months, this delightful soup is sure to warm you up and brighten your day!
Made with delicious caramelized onions, the rich flavor and texture of melted gruyère cheese, and complimented with a toasty baguette, its easy to see why this classic french onion soup is so popular with our kids!
Why This Recipe Works?
- Easy and Cheesy.
- Ultimate comfort food.
- One pot meal.
- Super easy to make.
- Perfect for those chilly autumn and winter days.
- Kid Friendly.
- Make ahead and freezer friendly meal.
- The Best French Onion Soup ever!!!
Main Ingredients
This recipe uses super easy ingredients that can be purchased from a local grocery store if they are not already in your kitchen. Read the Recipe Card for the measurements.
- Onions – We use Vidalia onions which are naturally sweeter, but you can also use white or yellow onions as well.
- Butter – The traditional way to caramelize the onions. We use unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt you want to include. You can substitute olive oil as well and make this recipe vegan.
- Dry Red Wine – Adds a deep rich flavor and helps to deglaze the pan. You can also use white wine.
- Beef Broth – This is the classic base of French onion soup. You can use vegetable broth to keep this meal vegetarian.
- Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaf, fresh thyme, salt and pepper – All used for seasoning and add a depth of flavor to this soup. If you do not have fresh thyme, feel free to substitute dried thyme.
- Gruyère cheese – Creates the delicious melted cheese layer on top of the soup. We love gruyère for its rich, creamy, and nutty flavor, but you can also use Swiss, asagio, or mozzarella.
- Baguette – A fresh and crusty baguette goes perfect with this soup, but you can certainly use any crusty bread.
How To Make Easy French Onion Soup
Step 1: Soften It
- Cut the ends off of the onions, slice in half (lengthwise) and peel. With the cut side down, make lengthwise cuts (from root to stem) about 1/4″ thick.
- In a large, heavy bottom pot, over medium high heat, melt the butter.
- Add the sliced onions, minced garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Give the pot a good stir, cover and let the onions soften, stirring every 3-4 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking.
Step 2: Caramelize It
- Once the onions have softened, allow them to brown a little, sticking to the bottom of the pan without burning. As the onions cook down, you will need to lower the heat to keep them from scorching.
- Using a wooden spoon or metal spatula, scrape up the brown bits and fold it back into the pan. If the caramelized bits become too stubborn to remove, adjust the heat accordingly and add a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pan. Continue to deglaze when necessary to prevent the onions from burning.
Step 3: Wine It
- Once the onions have caramelized, about 45 minutes, add the wine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking until the alcohol has burned off, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Thicken It
- Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs (if using fresh thyme).
- Reduce the heat to medium low and sprinkle the flour onto the onions.
- Continue cooking the onions with the flour added in, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes so that the raw flour taste is cooked out.
- Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce, then raise the heat to medium.
- Bring the pot to a simmer, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 5: Put it Together
- While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes, until the bread is golden around the edges; set aside.
- Once ready to serve, switch the oven to broil and place oven safe bowls on a baking sheet; ladle in the hot soup. Top with the toasted baguette slices and a sprinkling of cheese (about 1/2 cup each).
- Place the baking sheet with the soup about 6 inches from under the broiler, keeping a close eye to prevent them from burning. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Other soups you might enjoy are our Rich and Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, Tomato Soup with Cheesy Bread, and Beef and Barley Soup.
Easy French Onion Soup
Yield:
4-6 Servings
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 25 minutes
Rich and Cheesy, and surprisingly easy to make, this French Onion Soup is an all-time favorite comfort food. Perfect during those cold autumn or winter months, this delightful soup is sure to warm you up and brighten your day!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs vidalia onions, (3-4 medium to large onions)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 8 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 baguette, sliced 1/2” thick
- 4 oz grated gruyere cheese, (sub sliced Swiss or mozzarella)
Instructions
- Cut the ends off of the onions, slice in half (lengthwise) and peel. With the cut side down, make lengthwise cuts (from root to stem) about 1/4" thick.
- In a large, heavy bottom pot, over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced onions, minced garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Give the pot a good stir, cover and let the onions soften, stirring every 3-4 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking.
- Once the onions have softened, allow them to brown a little, sticking to the bottom of the pan without burning. As the onions cook down, you will need to lower the heat to keep them from scorching. Using a wooden spoon or metal spatula, scrape up the brown bits and fold it back into the pan. If the caramelized bits become too stubborn to remove, adjust the heat accordingly and add a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pan. Continue to deglaze when necessary to prevent the onions from burning.
- Once the onions have caramelized, about 45 minutes, add the wine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking until the alcohol has burned off, about 5 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs (if using fresh thyme). Reduce the heat to medium low and sprinkle the flour onto the onions. Continue cooking the onions with the flour added in, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes so that the raw flour taste is cooked out.
- Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce, then raise the heat to medium. Bring the pot to a simmer, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes, until the bread is golden around the edges; set aside.
- Once ready to serve, switch the oven to broil and place oven safe bowls on a baking sheet; ladle in the hot soup. Top with the toasted baguette slices and a sprinkling of cheese (about 1/2 cup each). Place the baking sheet with the soup about 6 inches from under the broiler, keeping a close eye to prevent them from burning. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately.