Simple French onion soup has deep, rich flavor from the slowly caramelized onions and is topped with bread and a melty cheese mixture. So cozy and delicious!
Recently, I shared this French onion chicken casserole with you. It’s creamy, savory, full of caramelized onions and has a crunchy topping of French fried onions.
Deliciousness all around.
And it reminded me that I need to share today’s recipe with you!
This simple French onion soup has deep, rich flavor built in and features that classic, irresistible melty cheese and bread topping.
It brings ALL the cozy vibes.
It is a favorite all around the table at my house and it is hard to stop eating it!
I will say, this is a bit involved, time wise.
We’re taking our time to get those glorious caramelized onions.
You know I’m all about quick and easy and I love a shortcut when I can get one.
So I dutifully tried a variety of hacks and all of them sacrificed flavor. We’re talking spooning up what seemed like just broth and onions.
So that was a no. Just not worth it if you're gonna go to the trouble of making the recipe and want that full French onion soup taste.
So while this recipe may require a little more patience, it will reward you with BIG flavor.
This is the rich, complex, slightly sweet, slightly savory, slightly nutty delightful combination of flavors that I remember from my childhood.
This is a soup I would always order at restaurants and have loved all my life.
I’ve been able to recreate those deep flavors at home, and I know you’ll be as thrilled as I am to have this in your kitchen repertoire!
So let’s get cooking.
(And if you need more soup inspiration, try this potato leek soup and lemony chicken orzo soup. Or browse all of my soup recipes!)
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make French onion soup. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Onions: I use and prefer sweet onions, such as Vidalia or another variety. It helps with the caramelization.
- Sherry: This is a fortified wine that you can buy in the grocery store. Make sure to use the dry kind because we don’t need to add extra sweetness to the soup.
- Broth: I recommend using low-sodium beef broth so you can control the amount of sodium in the recipe. You could also try substituting beef bouillon cubes and water in place of the broth if you prefer.
- Thyme: This adds the earthy undertones to the soup and in this case, I do think fresh thyme is preferred over dried thyme.
- Cheese: We’re using a combination of Swiss cheese on the soup and Gruyere cheese on the bread for topping this soup.
Also, I include instructions in the recipe card below for transferring the soup to ramekins or tureens or oven-proof bowls so you can broil the bread and melt the cheese over the top of the soup.
It’s very authentic and fancy feeling.
However, you can also just broil the bread and cheese on a foil-lined tray in the oven or toaster oven and add them to your soup bowl when serving.
And that’s about all you need for serving. The soup speaks for itself.
You could add some fresh sprigs of thyme if you’re looking to make it pretty.
But I’m guessing that after the build up and smelling the delicious aromas in your kitchen, you’ll be ready to dive right in. We always are.
Last thing, let's cover what to do with any leftovers.
Leftover soup, without the bread and cheese topping preferably, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a small pot on the stove until warmed through, then add the cheese and bread topping when ready to serve.
There you have it. Soup to keep you warm all winter long. Cause this is one you’ll be craving on repeat.
Happy cooking and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Simple French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large onions, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 (½-inch) thick slices French bread, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
For the topping:
- ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 4 (½-inch) thick slices French bread
- 4 slices Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, melt butter and oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and sit well to coat in the butter and oil. Cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes, until browning, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook for an additional 1 hour on medium or medium low, stirring occasionally. (You want the onions to get extremely soft and tender and a deep, rich brown color but not burn.)
- Add the sherry and cook for 1-2 minutes to allow some of it to evaporate.
- Add the broth, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper. Stir well. Add the cubed bread and stir to incorporate.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium low for 30 minutes.
- For serving: Carefully transfer the soup to individual ramekins or individual tureens or small oven-proof bowls. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded Swiss cheese. Add the slice of French bread on top, then top the bread with Gruyere cheese.
- Broil on high heat, about 3-4 inches from the heat source, for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted, being careful not to let it burn. Serve immediately.
- (Alternatively, you can place the bread slices on a foil lined baking sheet, top with Gruyere cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes, until melted. Sprinkle the soup bowl with Swiss cheese and serve with the broiled bread slice on top.)
Leave a Reply