French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 22 comments
Published: Sep 13, 2023 Last Updated: Mar 1, 2024

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This flavorful, hearty best everFrench Onion Soup recipeis a pure bowl of comfort for any night of the week. You’ll love the sweet onions, rich broth and toasted cheese on top!

Love today’s soup? You’ve got to try our instant pot french onion soup next. Same great flavor in less time! Or give our delicious pasta e fa*gioli a try soon!

French Onion Soup Recipe (1)

Why this Recipe is Best

This past year I’ve been working my way through classic recipes. Things like Coconut Cake, Divinity Candy, French Silk Pie, and Broccoli Cheese Soup.

I have found through the years of blogging, that what you want, is dinner inspiration.

And while I definitely would not define myself as a great chef or savory cook…I do think that the dinner recipes you’ll find on my website here are easy enough for a new cook. And delicious enough for a great cook!

That being said, one recipe that has been on my list to make for a very long time is French Onion Soup. I’ve avoided making it, let alone sharing a recipe because I thought, it’s too hard.

You guys, just because something takes longer to cook, doesn’t make it hard! If that were true, you’d never get the chance to enjoy homemade caramels!

Yes, caramelizing the onions can take 30minutes, but you don’t have to stand and slave over the pot (just don’t forget about it completely, haha)! I even shared a video below on How to Make French Onion Soup, so you can see for yourself how easy it is!

Important Ingredient Notes

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There are a few things that make french onion soup…the BEST.

  • Onions – wondering what kind of onions to use for French onion soup? We love using Vidalia and other sweet onions. The sugars caramelize during the cook process, giving this soup the rich flavor you love.
  • Cheese – Typically I use Gruyere. You can shred it or use it thinly sliced. It’s worth the extra cost for its flavor and texture. If you can’t find Gruyere, you could use Comte or Beaufort, Jarlsberg or Emmental. Last resort could be a mild white cheddar or provolone cheese.
  • Beef Broth – provides the base flavor.
  • Brandy – you could swap this out for red wine too, if preferred. Want to keep it alcohol free? Just leave it out.

How to Make French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup Recipe (3)

Caramelize onions. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, saute butter with sliced onions on medium low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir once or twice during that time. Cook the onions until caramelized and browned. (photos 1 & 2)

Add liquid. Once the onions caramelized, add in beef broth, garlic, brandy, thyme, salt, and pepper. (photo 3)

Cook. Simmer over low heat for an additional 30 minutes, to allow flavors to mingle. (photo 4)

When ready, remove twigs of thyme.

Ladle soup into individual oven safe crocks. Top with toasted baguettes and about 1/2 cup of gruyere cheese.

Broil for several minutes until cheese is browned and melted.

Serve immediately. ENJOY!

French Onion Soup Recipe (4)

Tips and Tricks

  1. Use sweet onions. Not only do they taste amazing when they caramelize, they don’t have that onion “bite” a typical yellow or white onion will have. However, they do tend to havea higher water content, so they may take a little longer to caramelize. But the sweetness only gets better with time, so it’s a win-win!
  2. Don’t skip the secret ingredient: BRANDY! This adds a wonderful depth of flavor. I’ve heard you can also use white wine or sherry, but I have not tried those options!
  3. It’s all about the final touch. Adding the toasted bread and cheese. While the soup was simmering, I sliced a baguette (from my grocery bakery) and toasted it in the oven. I also shredded some Gruyere cheese to have ready. When the soup was done simmering, ladle it into your oven safe crocks and top with baguette slices and a handful of cheese. Broil for a few minutes in the oven until melted!
  4. If you don’t have oven safe crocks, you can toast the baguette with the cheese on them, then drop them onto your individual bowls of soup! ENJOY
French Onion Soup Recipe (5)

What to Serve with French Onion Soup

Whether you serve French Onion Soup as a starter or an entrée, it’s a very versatile dish.

We love serving it before baked pork chops or even our family’s favorite meatloaf.

If you want the French Onion Soup to be the entree, pair it with a wedge salad, or a fruit platter!

More Easy Dinners

  • I adore making soup for dinner. It’s easy to make and who doesn’t love a good bowl of Chicken Taco Soup or Lasagna Soup?
  • Chicken Tetrazzini
  • White Castle Sliders
  • French Dip Recipe
  • Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta

French Onion Soup

5 from 12 votes

By: Aimee

Sweet caramelized onions, rich beef broth and toasty cheese combined together to make the best French Onion Soup recipe ever!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 medium sized sweet onions sliced
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 64 ounce beef broth
  • 2 cloves garlic pressed
  • ¼ cup Brandy
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups gruyere cheese (for topping
  • 1 baguette *see note below*

Instructions

  • In a large pot, saute butter and onions on medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice during that time. Onions will caramelize and become browned.

  • Once caramelized, add in beef broth, garlic, brandy, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, to allow flavors to meld together. When ready, remove twigs of thyme.

  • To serve, ladle into individual oven safe crocks. Top with toasted baguettes and about 1/2 cup of gruyere cheese. Broil for several minutes until cheese is browned and melted. Serve immediately. ENJOY.

Notes

  • Use sweet onions. Not only do they taste amazing when they caramelize, they don’t have that onion “bite” a typical yellow or white onion will have. However, they do tend to havea higher water content, so they may take a little longer to caramelize. But the sweetness only gets better with time, so it’s a win-win!
  • Don’t skip the secret ingredient: BRANDY! This adds a wonderful depth of flavor. Not a fan? Use sherry or red wine instead. Or keep it alcohol free by just omitting it.
  • It’s all about the final touch. Adding the toasted bread and cheese. While the soup was simmering, I sliced a baguette (from my grocery bakery) and toasted it in the oven. I also shredded some Gruyere cheese to have ready. When the soup was done simmering, ladle it into your oven safe crocks and top with baguette slices and a handful of cheese. Broil for a few minutes in the oven until melted!
  • If you don’t have oven safe crocks, you can toast the baguette with the cheese on them, then drop them onto your individual bowls of soup!
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 891kcal, Carbohydrates: 81g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 27g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 2961mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 29g

Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my French onion soup taste better? ›

Fresh thyme: always go with fresh thyme sprigs over dried. Worcestershire sauce: the flavors in Worcestershire sauce are a mix of vinegar, garlic, chile, molasses, etc. which act as the French onion soup spices. A tablespoon goes a long way to help bring out the umami flavors.

What is French onion soup made of? ›

What Is French Onion Soup? French onion soup, or soupe à l'oignon gratinée, is a classic French dish made with caramelized onions and beef stock or broth. The soup is topped with bread and cheese, then gratinéed to rich, gooey perfection. It's traditionally served in a ramekin or a ceramic crock with a handle.

How do you add depth of flavor to French onion soup? ›

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

Should French onion soup be thick or thin? ›

Made slightly thicker than most watered down soups because every mouthful NEEDS a slightly thickened texture to compliment the caramelized onions.

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

Why does French onion soup taste so good? ›

French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food. Onions get slowly cooked until sweet and caramelized, then simmered in rich broth until they're practically falling apart. To finish it off, toasted bread is added to give it that lovable crisp-gone-soggy texture and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese is melted on top.

What goes best with French onion soup? ›

Pair it with a simple salad, like my Caesar Salad or Pear Salad, and any protein you like! It would also be excellent with pasta. Try serving it with one of these recipes: Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe.

Is French onion soup good or bad for you? ›

Well, you'll be pleased to know that french onion soup is, in fact, a highly nutritious choice. Onions, as part of the Allium family, contain Quercetin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and should not be overlooked as a vegetable when considering your daily 7-a-day.

What is the best wine to use in French onion soup? ›

For French onion soup, consider reaching for a red wine with spice notes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. These varietals add a subtle kick of pepper and earthiness that play well with the soup's rich flavors.

Why is my French onion soup bitter? ›

The underlying flavor of this soup is the deep umami flavor of the caramelized onions. If you rush this process, the result will be a bitter charred flavor, and if you underestimate and skip this process the flavor will be nowhere near as deep or complex.

Why is my French onion soup so bland? ›

If you don't add enough salt, pepper, or other herbs and spices, the soup may taste bland.

How to enhance French onion soup? ›

Butter, sprinkle of sugar and teaspoon of Worcester sauce. Melt butter in pan, add onions, sugar and Worcester Sauce, gently fry until onions have browned slightly and sweetened. Add your sherry or wine and reduce for 10 minutes. Add beef stock and let the soup summer for half hour.

What is the perfect size bowl for French onion soup? ›

Size holds 18 ounces: The 18 oz soup bowl is the perfect size, deep, large soup bowl for cooking French onion soup, crab and lobster bisque, pork stew, chowder, bisque, pudding or baked goods and more.

How many onions is 3 lbs? ›

How many onions are in a pound? - Quora. There are 6 small onions (about 2.5 ounces each), 4 to 5 medium onions (about 3 to 3.5 ounces each), or 3 large onions in 1 pound.

How to doctor up canned French onion soup? ›

Some fresh rosemary or thyme brings a woody, peppery taste to the soup, complementing the umami flavor of the beef stock. With a splash of balsamic vinegar and green onions or fresh basil as a garnish, the canned soup is transformed from a grocery store original into a gourmet dish.

How to fix bland French onion soup? ›

French onion soup requires a good amount of seasoning to bring out its true flavors. Enhance the taste with herbs and spices. Traditional herbs like thyme and bay leaves work exceptionally well in French onion soup. Consider adding a pinch of dried thyme or a couple of bay leaves to the pot while simmering the soup.

How do you fix the taste of onion in soup? ›

Adding a touch of acidity, such as lemon juice or a splash of vinegar, can help cut through the richness of the onions. Additionally, adding sweeter ingredients like carrots, bell peppers, or even a pinch of sugar can help counterbalance the strong taste.

What can I add to my soup to make it tastier? ›

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.

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