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French Onion Soup – caramelized onions, beef broth, crusty bread and gooey cheese make for the most decadent, delicious and comforting soup!
French Onion Soup is a huge family favorite in my house. My husband grew up loving it, and there was a local restaurant that he always wanted to go to for their soup. I was always a little intimidated to make it, but it really is easier to make than you think!
After visiting France and having this soup there I am not sure that I can compete, but this is still a must make in our house, it is just super comforting!
What Is French Onion Soup
This soup originated in France (no big surprise given the name) during the 18th century. It was brought over to the United States in the 1860’s. The base of the soup are sweet caramelized onions and are then cooked in a rich beef broth. It is topped with a crusty slice of bread, topped with cheese and then put under the broiler to make this delicious crust.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is one of those soups that takes time, but I have a little tip below that might make it a little easier (hint, cook your onions in the crockpot ahead of time). But it is so flavorful and worth the effort.
- It freezes amazingly well! You can actually buy frozen French Onion Soup at Costco, but trust me, making your own is so much better. So even though it takes extra time, you can make even more and freezer for later.
- This works really well at a dinner party as an appetizer or starter course. Or serve as a main with extra bread for a delicious dinner.
And if you love caramelized onions, there are so many recipes you can make with them that are just amazing! French Onion Chicken, French Onion Pork Chops and Caramelized Onion Dip are just a couple of our favorites.
What You’ll Need
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Onions – you want sweet onions like a Vidalia onion or the equivalent.
- Garlic
- Salt
- All-Purpose Flour
- Beef Broth or Beef Stock – I like to use low or no sodium and adjust the salt level to taste later. Just make sure to use a good quality broth as this is a big part of the flavor profile in the soup.
- Red Wine – any dry red wine that you like the taste of drinking works great.
- Bay Leaf
- Fresh Thyme
- Black Pepper
- Baguette or other crusty bread
- Cheese – You can use a couple different kind here. Our favorite is Gruyere. You can mix in just a little Parmesan to round out the flavor. Or use Provolone, Swiss, Mozzarella or a very French cheese to use is Emmental.
How To Make French Onion Soup
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the FULL recipe and amounts
- Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the rings.
- Sprinkle with salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently. You want your onions to cook down quite a bit, and be a deep brown color. Add 1 teaspoons of sugar if your onions are not caramelizing, this will help bring out the sugar and speed up the process.
- Stir in the flour until it is completely blended, and no white streaks remain. Cook for a minute or two.
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth until it is smooth.
- Stir in the wine, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pepper, and additional salt if needed.
- Preheat broiler.
- Spoon soup into oven safe bowls. Top with 2 small crostini, and a little cheese. Heat under broiler until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve immediately.
Make Your Caramelized Onions In The Crockpot
Sometimes caramelizing onions can be a really pain. They do take a long time, and they aren’t something you can really just walk away from. So here is my quick tip, to make them fuss free and hands off!
Add your onions to the slow cooker, making sure they are all broken apart. Drizzle the olive oil over the onions, and arrange pats of butter over the onions. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours. Give them a good stir, prop the lid open a let them cook for 2 more hours. This will get ride of all the excess moisture and you are left with perfect caramelized onions.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you start with sweet onions. Most stored sell Vidalia onions, or they have another one that is always labeled a sweet onion. Those work the best for caramelizing.
- When you put your soup into bowls, make sure they are oven safe if you are putting them under the broiler. Arrange them on a baking dish to make them easier to get in and out of the oven without making a mess.
- The onions take time to cook, you really can’t rush them. So if you are using the stovetop method, have it on a medium to medium-low heat and just let them work their magic. Keep and eye on them and stir often, but don’t raise the heat to brown them.
- To Freeze The Soup – don’t top with the bread and cheese, just pour the soup into an airtight container and let it cool before placing it in the freezer. It will last for 4-5 months. Let it thaw in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop before adding the crusty bread and cheese to the bowls and putting them under the broiler.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Crockpot Tortellini Soup
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Pozole
- Creamy Wild Rice Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Avgolemono Soup
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 6 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 crostini, (lightly toasted baguettes), or croutons
- 1/2 cup Provolone or Gruyere cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the rings.
- Sprinkle with salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently. You want your onions to cook down quite a bit, and be a deep brown color. Add 1 teaspoons of sugar if your onions are not caramelizing, this will help bring out the sugar and speed up the process.
- Stir in the flour until it is completely blended, and no white streaks remain. Cook for a minute or two.
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth until it is smooth.
- Stir in the wine, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pepper, and additional salt if needed.
- Preheat broiler.
- Spoon soup into oven safe bowls. Top with 2 small crostini, and a little cheese. Heat under broiler until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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One of my all time favorite soups (veggie version for me), and yours looks amazing!
Erin, I have been wanting to make French onion soup forever. I need to do this. Beautiful photography.
We featured your recipe on the Secret Recipe Club! Thanks for being a member and sharing such a delcious recipe. http://secretrecipeclub.com/french-onion-soup-dinners-dishes-and-desserts/
Thanks!! I appreciate it so much!