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.
First of all, I’m obsessed w all your recipes. Like I literally make at least one a day (shoutout to your avo cucumber salad!), so I’m sure I did something wrong with this one. But I followed the recipe exactly (though I caramelized my onions extra bc at 25 mins they were still just translucent) and I had the same issue I always do: once I add the organic beef broth and simmer it down it’s still just kind of bland. The onions were bomb, and obviously anything w bread and cheese tastes yummy but my broth is just a little meh. I used the TJs organic beef broth. Do you have a brand you like??
what kind of skillet are you using?? is it something that conducts heat really well? you want the onions to be dark brown and jammy before adding the broth
What can you put instead of beef broth for vegetarians?
veggie broth! no prob
What brand of wine did
You use please? Yummy
cant remember the brand - but I cook with cab sauv
The soup looks divine! I can't wait for it to get cold here in the south. I've got to ask about those bowls though. Where are they from? I love copper.
they were from williams sonoma but they dont have them anymore!
If we don't have wine and beef broth wht can we substitute please
broth - you could use chicken stock! Unfortunately wine is a pretty key part of this recipe to give it the depth of flavor so there isn't a great substitute, but you could leave it out and just replace with the stock
delicious!!!
Well Gaby, your followers seem to have said it all! This recipe sounds easy enough and I know the taste will match the beyond amazing photos you’ve posted! Thanks also for answering questions, ie. your wine preference, etc. so excited to create this one!!
My absolute favorite soup! You can be assured this one will be made very soon.
This recipe is on the menu for this week! Do you recommend a nonstick pot or a cast iron dutch oven? Thanks so much!!
I bought all the ingredients but forgot the fresh thyme! Would you recommend using dried (if so how much) or just omit? Thanks so much! Can't wait for dinner:)
use 1/2 teaspoon of dried!! xx
I just love French Onion soup. You make it sound easy enough for me to give it a whirl!!
Is there a certain kind of red wine you recommend using?
I prefer a cabernet!
I love French onion soup. Your soup looks amazing. Will be making this after the holidays.
I made this last night. Great recipe! Directions were perfect, no need to tweak anything. Rich and delicious soup.
There is a restaurant in Seattle that my husband and I go to JUST for the french onion soup! So I am bound and determined to learn to make it at least half as well as they do. Your recipe looks visibly the most similar!! I am excited to give it a go! Any wine recommendations for this one? Thank you!!
Which restaurant do you go to? I'm new to the city and would love a recommendation for great french onion soup!