Description
Classic French Onion Soup featuring caramelized onions, rich beef and chicken broth, and a deliciously melted cheese topping broiled until golden and bubbly. This comforting soup is perfect for a cozy meal and can be adapted for vegetarian preferences by swapping stocks.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (such as Merlot or Pinot Noir)
- 32 ounces low-sodium beef broth
- 24 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bread and Cheese Topping
- 5 slices French bread, about 1-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere Swiss cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, room temperature
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add sliced onions and sauté, stirring often, until softened, approximately 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in salt and sugar, and continue cooking for about 35 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the onions are deeply caramelized and syrupy in texture.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pot to incorporate that rich flavor.
- Simmer the Soup: Add beef broth, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes to meld flavors.
- Finish Soup Base: Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in balsamic vinegar and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm while preparing the bread.
- Prepare Toasted Bread: Preheat the oven broiler with the rack approximately 6 inches from heat source. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Broil for 2–3 minutes total, flipping once, until golden and toasted. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove from heat but keep broiler on.
- Assemble and Broil Soup Bowls: Place oven-safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl about two-thirds full with the hot soup. Top each with one toasted bread slice, then sprinkle evenly with Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Broil until the cheese is bubbly, golden brown, and starts to overflow the sides, forming a crispy crust.
- Serve: Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and serve the French Onion Soup immediately, enjoying the rich flavors and cheesy topping.
Notes
- To make this soup vegetarian, replace beef and chicken broth with vegetable broth and use a vegan Worcestershire sauce; note this will alter the flavor profile.
- You can omit the wine, but using dry red wine enhances depth of flavor. If skipping alcohol, increase broth quantity slightly, though soup won’t be as rich.
- If you don’t have oven-safe bowls, skip broiling the assembled bowls. Instead, make cheese toasts separately and top the soup with them or use croutons.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 ml)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
