If there are two foods that the French have mastered they would have to be cheese and bread. I know that’s totally unspecific, and there are many types of cheeses and breads – both good and bad. However, if you have had the privilege to visit France (or at least a really good French bakery or restaurant elsewhere), you would agree with me that true French bread and cheese reign supreme.
what makes french onion soup so good?
French onion soup is, arguably, one of the coziest comfort foods out there. It doesn’t take a lot to make, as it’s mostly butter, white wine, flour, stock, and lots of onions.
What really make this recipe, though, is the toasted bread and melted cheese on top. For a true French onion soup, you’ll need really good bread, like sourdough or a French peasant loaf, and a sharp, nutty cheese, like Gruyere.
Once your many onions have been sliced, making this soup is incredibly simple. It may seem like you have way to much onion, but the key to this recipe is slowly caramelizing them in butter, which shrinks them down in size and gives them a nice sweet flavor.
Once the onions are caramelized, adding a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, will add some acidity and additional flavor. Then, before adding the stocks, you might want to add a bit of flour to thicken the caramelized onions so it’s not overly brothy in the end.
let's talk about the bread and cheese
Finally, when your soup is in the final stages of simmering, you’ll toast your bread slices, and top them with grated Gruyere. Simple, place the bread and cheese on a baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the cheese is browned and bubbly (just be careful not to burn the toast).
And that’s it! After spooning the soup into your soup bowls, top them with the toasted bread and some chives or green onion if you wish. Then, get into your coziest winter sweats and enjoy!
⟶ the recipe
french onion soup
ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon flour
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups beef stock
4 slices sourdough bread, cut in half
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
1 hour
Total time
1 hour 15 minutes
4 servings
instructions
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the olive oil and heat for about a minute more.
Add the onions, and sauté while tossing until caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer until nearly completely reduced. Add the flour, and stir for about 2 minutes to thicken. Add additional flour if needed.
Add the chicken and beef stock to the pot, cover, and simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Liquid should be slightly reduced at the end, but still very liquidy. To thicken the soup, simmer uncovered for a little bit until at the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
While the soup is simmering, place slices of bread on a baking sheet, and cover them with the grated Gruyere. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted, slightly bubbly, and browned.
Spoon onion soup into bowls, and top with the Gruyere toast to serve.
⟶ modifications
- If you want to keep this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable stock instead of chicken and beef
⟶ make it ahead
- When I’m cooking something with onions, I often slice/chop the onions ahead of time and refrigerate them until I’m ready to cook. It cuts down the prep time by a lot and reduces the amount of tears for the evening
