Cozy Homemade French Onion Soup
cozy, classic French onion soup featuring deeply caramelized onions, a rich beef broth, and a toasted baguette blanketed in bubbly, melted Gruyère cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 large yellow or sweet onions peeled and thinly sliced, about 3 lbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or extra beef broth to deglaze
- 6 cups beef broth preferably low-sodium
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small French baguette sliced into 1-inch thick rounds and toasted
- 2 cups Gruyère or Swiss cheese freshly shredded
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat and melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the sliced onions, sugar, and a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook the onions slowly for 30–35 minutes, stirring frequently. Be patient; cook until they turn deeply golden brown, caramelized, and sweet.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine (or a splash of broth) to deglaze the pot. Use a wooden spoon to vigorously scrape up all the caramelized, browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add the fresh thyme sprigs and the bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
- Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste the broth and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Preheat your oven's broiler. Ladle the hot soup into 4 oven-safe bowls placed on a baking sheet.
- Top each bowl of soup with 1–2 slices of the toasted baguette. Blanket the bread generously with the shredded Gruyère cheese.
- Place under the broiler for 3–4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is bubbling, completely melted, and golden brown. Serve hot!
Notes
Do Not Rush the Onions: Cooking the onions over medium-low heat for the full 30-35 minutes is critical. High heat will burn them, resulting in a bitter soup. Stale Bread is Best: Fresh bread will turn to mush in the liquid. Toast your baguette slices until they are very dry and crisp before floating them in the soup. No Oven-Safe Bowls?: If your bowls cannot go under the broiler, simply place your baguette slices on a baking sheet, top with cheese, and broil them. Transfer the melted cheesy toasts to your bowls of hot soup just before serving.
