French onion soup is a classic for a reason: it’s warm, salty, and comforting. I had plenty of it when I went to France recently and I couldn’t get enough. Full of caramelized onions, fresh bread and gruyere cheese, cooked with beef broth and baked until golden brown. It’s perfect for when you’re under the weather or want to dress up a dinner party offering.
Equipment needed to make french onion soup
Here are a few things you will need to make this recipe:
- A Dutch oven – we use this to caramelize our onions and bring the whole soup together. If you don’t have one of these, just use a large soup pot.
- A large saucepan – use this to heat the beef broth separately as the onions are cooking.
- oven proof bowls – as a final step, we stick the soup in the oven so the cheese on top can get golden brown and melty. You can use these Le Creuset Cocottes which work super well!
Ingredients needed for French Onion Soup
Here’s what you need to add to your grocery list:
- 2 large yellow onions – you can also use red, allegedly, but I prefer yellow!
- salt
- unsalted butter
- beef broth – at least a quart. I use the organic beef broth at Trader Joe’s, but you can also use beef stock, which is actually more common and likely more preferable thanks to how much longer it is cooked in the bones. Broth is going to be lighter.
- Gruyere cheese
- Dry white wine – like sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
- 4 slices of fresh bread – get something crusty, like sourdough or a baguette
- all purpose flour – this will help thicken the base of our soup.
How to make French Onion Soup
Let’s make it together!
Step 1
Prep the base of the soup. Slice the onions thinly. Then melt the butter in a Dutch oven and add the onions and salt. Cover the pot with the lid and heat the onions on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Then take the top off and let the onions caramelize, for at least 20 minutes on low heat, but it can take up to 40! Stir occasionally.
Step 2
Heat the broth. While the onions caramelize, add the beef broth into a saucepan over low heat until it’s warmed throughout. In the meantime, grate the cheese and slice your bread.
Step 3
After the onions are a dark golden brown, add the wine to them and let the mixture come to a boil for about 2 minutes. Then add the flour and stir until incorporated and the mixture is thickened.
Step 4
Add the broth to the onions and let it all boil for about 10 minutes on high heat.
Step 5
Spoon the soup into your oven-safe bowls and top each one with a piece of bread (you might have to cut the bread slice into a few pieces). Cover each soup bowl with enough cheese that the surface is covered – grate more if you need it. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. Turn the broiler on for about 5 minutes, but watch closely so that the cheese doesn’t burn. Remove once the cheese is golden brown and enjoy.
Storage and Leftovers
Keep the soup in an airtight container. This isn’t exactly a packable work lunch, considering you need to prep the bread and cheese and pop it in the oven before eating, but it’s great if you work from home or you can eat it for a couple nights in a row! Be sure to pop your bowl of soup in the microwave first or heat the base of the soup on the stovetop before adding the cheese and bread and broiling for a few minutes.
Other soups to try
If you liked this french onion soup, leave a review below and check out some of these other soup recipes:
Healthy Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs
Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Crunchy Chickpeas
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.
French Onion Soup
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or large pot to make the base of the soup
- 1 large saucepan to heat the broth
- 4 oven proof bowls to bake the soup
Ingredients
- 2 large yellow onions sliced thinly
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 quart beef broth
- ½ cup gruyere cheese grated
- ½ cup dry white wine like sauvignon blanc
- 4 slices fresh bread like sourdough or baguette
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
Instructions
- Slice the onions thinly. Then melt the butter in a Dutch oven and add the onions and salt. Cover the pot with the lid and heat the onions on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Then take the top off and let the onions caramelize, for at least 20 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally.2 large yellow onions, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, ½ tsp salt
- Heat the broth. While the onions caramelize, add the beef broth into a saucepan over low heat until it's warmed throughout. In the meantime, grate the cheese and slice your bread.1 quart beef broth
- After the onions are a dark golden brown, add the wine to them and let the mixture come to a boil for about 2 minutes. Then add the flour and stir until incorporated and the mixture is thickened.½ cup dry white wine, 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- Add the broth to the onions and let it all boil for about 10 minutes.
- Spoon the soup into your oven-safe bowls and top each one with a piece of bread (you might have to cut the bread slice into a few pieces). Cover each soup bowl with enough cheese that the surface is covered – grate more if you need it. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. Turn the broiler on for about 5 minutes, but watch closely so that the cheese doesn't burn. Remove once the cheese is golden brown and enjoy.4 slices fresh bread, ½ cup gruyere cheese
Pin this!
