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Spoon taking a bite of French Onion Soup with toasted baguette and melted cheese
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5 from 6 votes

French Onion Soup

Homemade classic soup with caramelized onions and topped with a toasted baguette and melted cheese
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

  • 3 large onions yellow, white, sweet or a combination
  • 4 Tbsp salted butter
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1 loaf French bread or baguette
  • 8 oz Muenster Swiss or Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced or shredded
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • ½ tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar or more to taste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried sage
  • ½ tsp dried rosemary
  • ½ tsp dried marjoram
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp Pepper
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 7 c. beef broth

Instructions

  • Peel and cut the onions in half lengthwise, then into thin slices, lengthwise (No thinner than 1/8 inch thick).
  • Put the butter in a dutch oven or pot and start to melt it over medium heat.
  • Put the onions in the pan, stir them up with the butter, and sprinkle the baking soda over the top. (This is to help with the caramelization process. Don't use more than this).
  • Let the onions cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, about every 10 minutes. Cut any large pieces smaller and cook until tender. (If the onions look like they might burn, turn the heat down and add a couple tablespoons of water, then continue). The onions should be reduced, soft, and golden brown. You may need to stir more frequently towards the end of the caramelization process so that they bottom doesn’t burn.
  • Cut the French bread or baguette into 1½-inch slices, prepare the cheese, and mince the garlic. Set aside.
  • Mix the flour with the sugar, ,
  • Once the onions are browned and all are very soft, stir in the minced garlic and sauté with the onions for about a minute, stirring constantly.
  • Stir the flour, thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, salt, and pepper mixture into the onions.
  • Pour a cup of beef broth over the onions, scraping up the browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the rest of the beef broth, sugar, red wine vinegar, and the bay leaf.
  • Bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, turn down heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, put the bread or baguette slices under the broiler, in the top 1/3rd of the oven, for about a minute on each side, until well-toasted on each side.
  • When the soup is done simmering, remove the bay leaf, and adjust the seasonings to taste.
  • Ladle the soup into each bowl or ramekin until each bowl is 3/4ths full.
  • Place a piece of toasted French bread or baguette on top of the soup.
  • Sprinkle the bread generously with shredded cheese or 1-2 slices of cheese per bowl, and place the bowls under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is golden brown, one or two minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Caramelizing: The length of time it takes to cook the ovens will depend on how big your pot is. I use a Dutch oven and it usually takes just under an hour. If you use a smaller pot or pan it can take longer. Using the baking soda will speed things up, but be sure to only add the amount in the recipe – if you use more the flavor of your soup will be altered.
Vinegar substitutes: I use red wine vinegar because it’s what I usually have on hand. You can substitute a red wine or sherry, if you prefer.
Cheese substitutes: Gruyere cheese is the traditional cheese for this soup, but you can substitute Swiss cheese or Munster cheese (or try doing a combo!).
Beef broth: I recommend using a good-quality beef broth for the best flavor. Also, depending on how much salt is in the broth you may need to adjust the added salt to suit your taste. Try the soup before you assemble the bowls and add any extra salt then.
Caramelize the onions ahead! You can do this step a day ahead and keep the cooked onions in the refrigerator. Store them in an airtight container in some beef broth (just enough to keep them moist). The next day, make the soup and assemble.
Leftovers: If you don’t plan to eat all of the soup in one sitting, save the extra soup in a container and wait to add the bread and cheese until you are ready to serve it.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1810mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 619IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 340mg | Iron: 2mg