French Onion Soup (2024)

Jun 20, 2024 by Karina · This post may contain affiliate links

Classic French Onion Soup is one of the most delicious soups in the world! Dip and enjoy with cheesy garlic bread for an incredible flavour experience!

Deep golden, caramelized onions create a stock filled with an intense depth of flavour for a classic French Onion Soup. Simmered with fresh herbs, optional white wine and finished off with garlic bread slices topped with two types of melted cheese.

The end result is worth every minute: DELICIOUS!

FRENCH ONION SOUP

French onion soup is loved by so many, however, it can also can be quite intimidating for some readers to try. Don’t be scared to caramelize onions! I’m going to take you step by step in this post to help you get a perfect soup.

Onionscook slow for about 45 minutes to bring out their natural sweetness and create incredible flavours in every bowl. Is there anything better on a cold day than a bowl of soup? YES!THIS French Onion soup wins hands down. Made slightly thicker than most watered down soups because every mouthful NEEDS a slightly thickened texture to compliment the caramelized onions.

If you dont have oven-proof bowls, don’t panic! This French Onion Soup recipe will become your favourite as we’re using a batch of our popular cheesy garlic breadswith each serve.

HOW DO YOU MAKE FRENCH ONION SOUP FROM SCRATCH?

With so much flavour in French Onion Soup, you’d certainly be forgiven in thinking the soup itself is made up of complex ingredients. However, you only need a few core ingredients:

Butter: use a good quality unsalted butter.
Onions: so much flavour!
Flour: thickens your soup.
Dry white wine: deglazes the pot and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot, while also adding flavour. You can skip the wine and use extra beef broth if you wish!
Beef stock/broth — or chicken.
FRESH herbs (thyme and bay leaves).

WHAT KIND OF ONIONS DO YOU USE FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP?

Caramelized onions can develop different flavour profiles depending on the type of onion you use:

White onion: sweet and mild.
Red onion: strongeronion flavour, slightly bitter and not as sweet.
Yellow onion: our favourite foe this type of soup. Nice and mild with a naturally occurring sweetness you want for caramelised onions.

Cut onions in half from top to bottom andslice just a little bit of theroot section off — but not all of it.Place onion cut-side down and slice from the side of the onion.

THE BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP

Firstly, onions are cooked until browned and caramelized. You may be tempted to cut corners and sauté them until softened without cooking them to a golden brown, but please keep going! It makes all the difference in flavour.

The trick to caramelizing onions is to let them fry for a good 5-8 minutes in between stirring to get those key browned bits on the base of your pot. Then, with each stir, you’re going to scrape the bottom of the pan to get those browned bits mixed through.

Secondly, the pot is deglazed with a touch of wine OR extra broth, then flour is added to thicken the soup. Once the broth and herbs are added, your soup just needs boil, then simmer, until done.

Lastly, while the soup is cooking, make your cheesy garlic breadsfor an easier way to get French onion soup served without oven-proof bowls.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF GRUYERE IN FRENCH ONION SOUP?

You can follow our recipe and use a blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheese, however you can also use Swiss, Gouda or Provolone. You can also try it with a slice of rindless Brie.

BEST WINE IN SOUP

I recommend a dry white or red wine, such as a good quality Pinot Grigio/Gris, Sauv Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir. Generally, if you can’t drink it, don’t cook with it.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF WINE IN FRENCH ONION SOUP?

Replace wine with extra beef stock.

MORE SOUP RECIPES

Vegetable Soup
Cauliflower Soup
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (No Cream)
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup
Creamy Ham Potato Soup

Ingredients

▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 6 large yellow onions peeled, halved and thinly sliced
▢ 1 tablespoon garlic minced, or 4 cloves garlic, minced
▢ ¼ cup flour, plain or all purpose
▢ ½ cup dry white wine or red wine
▢ 2 sprigs fresh thyme roughly chopped
▢ 6 cups beef stock
▢ 1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
▢ 2 whole bay leaves dried or fresh
▢ 1 pinch salt to taste
▢ 1 pinch pepper
▢ 1 batch cheesy garlic bread

Instructions

In a large pot over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and melt butter. Add the onions and stir well to evenly coat with oil and butter. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so, until the onions have softened.
Increase heat to medium-high and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes or until onions are golden browned, soft and caramelized. (The bottom of the pan will also brown during the cooking process. This is where all of the flavour is).
Stir in garlic and cook for one minute, then add in flour and cook for about 4 minutes to brown slightly.Add wine to deglaze the pan, and scrape up the browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Add in the thyme and simmer wine for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
Add beef stock, bouillon and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, partially covered with a lid, for 30-40 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, prepare 1 loaf of cheesy garlic bread, or individually portioned garlic breads.
To serve, taste test and season with a little extra salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with 1 or 2 slices of cheesy toast.

Notes

BEST WINE IN SOUP

Wine is optional to deglaze the pan and add flavour to the soup. I recommend a dry white or red wine, such as a good quality Pinot Grigio/Gris, Sauv Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir. Generally, if you can't drink it, don't cook with it.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF WINE IN FRENCH ONION SOUP?

Replace wine with extra beef brothor stock to substitute.

Nutrition

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @CafeDelites or tag #cafedelites!

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of 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.

See Details ›

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.

Show Me More ›

What is the etiquette for eating French onion soup? ›

With such a soup, a knife is your friend, not your enemy. Using both the soup spoon and the knife, push the baked cheese against the rim of the cup or bowl and cut it gently with the knife. Once you've broken the cheese barrier, you can use the knife again to nudge bits of cheese onto the spoon.

Learn More ›

Does French onion soup taste better the next day? ›

Chef Nadia's Tips 🔥 Always use good wine, and even a better beef stock since it's the base of the soup. This soup is always better the next day! The balsamic adds a nice pop of acid and the maggi enhances the richness.

Discover More ›

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.

Learn More ›

What can I add to French onion soup to make it less sweet? ›

If the soup is too sweet, add the vinegar. If you would like a little more depth, add a splash of red wine. Preheat the broiler. Portion the soup into bowls, top with bread, cover with cheese, and broil until the cheese is melted and nicely browned.

Explore More ›

Is French onion soup good for your gut? ›

Onions are a great source of soluble fibre and therefore a good prebiotic; food for the good gut bacteria. Optimal gut health is crucial for weight loss and this delicious soup provides great nutrients to help boost weight loss as part of a weight management programme.

Tell Me More ›

Do people in France eat French onion soup? ›

It has even become a trendy dish that tourists are eager to try to experience French gastronomy. However, onion soup is in fact not part of French people's daily meals. It was originally meant to be eaten after a family reunion in the middle of the night to cure hangovers…

Get More Info Here ›

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.

Tell Me More ›

How thin should onions be sliced for French onion soup? ›

Directions for French onion soup

Peel each half, keeping the flesh tethered at the root end. Slice 1/4-inch thick longways, pole-to-pole, using a mandolin if you have one.

View Details ›

Why do I get gassy after French onion soup? ›

Bloating and gas are common stomach problems that can arise after consuming French Onion Soup. Onions, being high in dietary fiber, can be difficult to digest for some individuals, leading to increased gas production and bloating.

Can I eat week old French onion soup? ›

After it's been stored correctly, a container of French onion soup will safely last three to four days in the refrigerator. If you need to preserve your extra soup for longer, you can freeze it for three to four months.

Know More ›

How do you get depth of flavor in soup? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.