Love French Onion Soup? Here's how to make the perfect bowl, every time. This soup is easy to make and always a hit with family and friends. Plus, it's a great way to use up leftover onions. Enjoy!
Is there anything more relaxing than a quiet night in, a big pot of French Onion Soup, a giant cheesy piece of toast on top and a movie? Sounds like a recipe for success if you ask me 🙂
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I've been a French Onion Soup lover for a long time. My mom was obsessed, so naturally I am too!
I've ordered French Onion Soup in just about every restaurant under the sun and have a LOT of thoughts.
- The best french onion soup recipe doesn't skimp on the onions. (I've had some before that go easy on the onions and I just don't understand the point. It's called French ONION Soup for a reason!)
- It must have a touch of red wine to give it some extra depth and flavor.
- And then it's topped with these majorly delicious toasts that are loaded with Gruyère cheese and a few thyme leaves. It's perfection and it's exactly what we need this time of year when it's getting a bit brisk and all you want to do is cuddle up on the couch with a big bowl of soup and a glass of red wine!!
If you're about to embark on the soup train for the foreseeable future like me - here are a few more of my all time favorite soups- chicken tortilla soup and ribollita, just to name two.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter
- Yellow Onions
- Garlic
- Bay Leaves
- Fresh Thyme
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper freshly ground
- Red Wine
- All-purpose Flour
- Beef Broth
- Baguette sliced
- Gruyère
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make French Onion Soup
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
Step 3: Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Step 5: Next, add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Once the soup is done, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Top the toasts with the Gruyère.
Step 7: Broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 8: Ladle the soup in bowls and float the Gruyère toasts on top.
How to Store French Onion Soup
You can store the french onion soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can reheat on stove/microwave. I recommend making the Gruyère toasts fresh and topping the soup with them when its time to eat.
How to Freeze French Onion Soup
You can freeze this soup in the freezer for 3 months. Consider portioning into meal-size portions so you do not have to thaw more than you need.
Tips & Tricks
Make sure you have soup bowls, ramekins, or mini crocks that are oven safe. That way you can do the best part of this recipe - broiling the cheese on top!
FAQs
Can this be made vegetarian?
Just swap the beef broth with vegetarian broth and you are all set!!
Any advice for caramelizing the onions?
Patience! Slice the onions thin, and cook it low and slow.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 5 yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts beef broth
- 1 baguette sliced
- ½ pound grated Gruyère
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
- Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Dust the onions with flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Next, add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Once the soup is done, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Top the toasts with the Gruyère and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Ladle the soup in bowls and float the Gruyère toasts on top.
Gorgeous soup! I share your affection for copper as well.
Always been a little nervous to try this, but you make it seem so easy, I am making it this weekend!!
Can you make this vegetable broth instead of beef? Would it be as good??
100% yes!!
Can i use Gluten free flour instead??
absolutely!
Gorgeous photography, such beautiful light and food and prop styling are superb.
It's a MUST to make this... and soon... but first!! Where can we purchase those copper pots?❤
Williams Sonoma is where I got them!!
Oh my goodness these are so beautiful!!
First off, where did you get those crocks from?? They are sooo cool! Secondly, your soup looks and sounds on point. Great recipe 🙂
I love the baguettes on top.
hi,what can we use instead of wine
I'd just leave it out!
I'm so all over this! Perfect comfort food!
Love french onion soup and these look fabulous!
Oh Gaby- back in my gluten and dairy loving days this was pretty much my VERY favorite. Looks so wonderful!
Nope, this is pretty much ultra comfort food on a cold evening bliss! And your might be the prettiest French onion soup I've ever seen! Can't wait to cozy up to a bowl of this very soon! 🙂
Looks incredible!