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French Onion Soup Recipe

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4.3 from 7 reviews

Classic French Onion Soup featuring caramelized yellow onions simmered in rich beef bone broth, topped with toasted French bread and melted Gruyère cheese, garnished with fresh parsley. This comforting soup highlights deep, savory flavors and a perfect cheese crust.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Soup

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 pounds yellow onions, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 48 ounces beef bone broth
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

Topping

  • 4 ounces French bread, sliced
  • 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Melt Butter and Begin Cooking Onions: Melt the unsalted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced yellow onions and kosher salt, stirring to coat them evenly with the butter. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking and burning.
  2. Caramelize Onions: Reduce heat to medium to medium-low and continue cooking the onions. Stir occasionally as the onions release their moisture, soften, and turn golden. This slow caramelization process will take about 1 to 1½ hours. If onions brown too fast, lower the heat accordingly.
  3. Enhance Caramelization: During the last 20–30 minutes, increase the heat slightly to medium and stir more frequently to ensure even caramelization. The onions should become deeply golden and very soft when ready.
  4. Add Flour: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the caramelized onions and stir well for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and help thicken the soup.
  5. Add Broth and Herbs; Simmer: Gradually pour in the beef bone broth while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop flavors.
  6. Toast Bread: While the soup simmers, toast the French bread slices until crisp to form the base for the cheesy topping.
  7. Prepare for Broiling: Preheat the broiler to high. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the soup. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls, placing the bowls on a baking sheet for easy transfer.
  8. Add Bread and Cheese Topping: Top each bowl with toasted French bread slices. Generously sprinkle shredded Gruyère cheese over the bread, ensuring most cheese stays on top of the bread slices.
  9. Broil Until Cheese Melts: Place the baking sheet with bowls under the broiler for a few minutes. Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
  10. Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve the soup immediately while hot and enjoy the rich, comforting flavors.

Notes

  • Caramelizing onions is key to developing deep flavor; take your time and stir regularly.
  • If you prefer a vegetarian version, substitute beef broth with vegetable broth.
  • Gruyère cheese provides the authentic nutty flavor, but Swiss or Emmental can be used as alternatives.
  • Use oven-safe bowls for broiling to prevent cracking or damage.
  • Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days but may lose some texture upon reheating.
  • Author: Olivia
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://iamstarved.com/french-onion-soup-recipe/