Tony and I had one of the best french onion soups at a hotel in Cancun a few years ago. I wasn’t expecting it to be so delicious, but the caramelized onions, juicy umami flavors, savory broth, and crispy-yet-slightly-soaked bread sent me into a straight food coma of delight.
After that, we decided that french onion soup would forever be one of our favorites, and truth be told, we’ve been craving a good homemade version ever since.
A few weeks ago, I decided it was finally time to attempt a homemade, classic french onion soup that would rival the one I had in Mexico.
Admittedly, after slicing 5 juicy onions, my eyes were tearing up and burning, but the result was worth it. The onions caramelized until they were a dark amber brown and my house smelled like a French restaurant. Oui, oui!
Many have told me to chew gum while slicing onions to prevent tearing up. I still haven’t tried it, but plan on the next time I make this recipe. If you have any other tips to prevent onion tears, let me know in the comment below.
How do you make classic french onion soup? Let’s chat ingredients:
Using white or yellow onions. They add a nice sweetness to the soup. Don’t worry a mix of onions also work.
Flour. A little flour will help to thicken the soup. You can feel free to use a gluten free flour.
Dry white wine. This helps to deglaze the pan and add a boost of flavor.
Good quality beef broth. You can also use a mix of beef and chicken broth. Homemade beef broth would help enhance the flavor even more, but let’s be honest, not many of us have time to make homemade beef broth, so store-bought works well.
Fresh thyme: Always go with fresh over dried.
Worcestershire sauce. The flavors in worcestershire sauce are a mix of vinegar, garlic, chile, molasses, etc. A tablespoon goes along way to help bring out the umami flavors. I’m in love.
Bread + gruyere cheese: Toasted baguette slices are dunked in the soup and then topped with sharp gruyere cheese. I call it magic!
Finally, there are two options to ensure success with this recipe:
Option 1: You can simply add the cheese to the baguette slices and then top with cheese. Broil until melted and then add to soup. Enjoy! This version is best if you don’t have mini oven-safe crocks.
Option 2: Add soup to crocks (these are the ones I use), top with your toasted baguette slice, add cheese and broil until cheese melts.
Whatever you do, it’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait for you to make this delicious recipe. Christmas, anyone?!
See how to make the classic french onion soup:
Classic French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (or beef broth), for deglazing the pan
- 7-8 cups beef broth, depending on how brothy you like your french onion soup (can also use bone broth)*
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon worcheshire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- For the baguettes
- 1 demi french baguette, cut into 1 inch thick slices
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Garlic powder
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, thickly shredded
Instructions
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Melt the olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add in the onions and salt and stir to coat the onions with the butter. Cook onions, stirring occasionally; check onions every 10-15 minutes until they have completely caramelized and turned golden in color. This usually takes 30-40 minutes total. If the onions appear to be getting too dark or sticking too much to the bottom of the pan, then simply reduce the heat a bit.
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After onions have completely caramelized, add in flour and minced garlic, stir to coat onions and cook for 2 more minutes.
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Deglaze the pan with about ½ cup very dry white white or beef broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Slowly add in beef broth, thyme, freshly ground black pepper, worcheshire sauce and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
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After 30 minutes remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary, such as adding more salt and pepper.
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About 10 minutes before the soup is done, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the baguette slices in a single layer on the baking sheet, brush one side of toasts with butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder and toast in the oven for 5 minutes per side until golden on the edges. Remove from oven.
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At this point you have two options on how to finish the soup:
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OPTION 1: Add shredded cheese on top of one side of the toasted baguettes and continue to bake for 3-5 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Ladle soup into bowls. Add a slice or two of your cheesy baguette on top. Serve soup immediately. Sometimes I add a little extra shredded cheese on top of the soup.
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OPTION 2: You make the soup the traditional way placing oven-safe bowls/crocks on a baking sheet and ladling soup into the bowls. Top each with a toasted baguette. Sprinkle each bowl with about 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Make sure you are watching very carefully! Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings
Recipe by: Monique of Ambitious Kitchen // Photography by: Sasha of Eat Love Eat
27 comments
Would love to see a vegetarian option
Fa reals?
Did mine with vegetable broth and it turned out delicious.
Reduce tearing while cutting onions…wear glasses or better yet goggles. Have near a bowl big enough to hold cut onions and a damp cloth or paper towel. After cutting a small portion of onions, drop in the bowl and immediately place damp cloth/paper towel over bowl top…repeat till all cut onion is in the bowl. Keep the cut onions covered till ready to use. I believe the tearing is caused by the onion fumes so my efforts are to keep the fumes out of my eyes! Hope this is useful!
Very helpful – thanks Ria!
I can’t find any good quality Crocks that are broiler safe. Can you tell me where you got yours?
These are great!
I discovered a few years ago that if I don’t lean directly over the onions, as is my normal stance when I chop, slice, and mince, I can control/manage the burning and tearing that onions cause.
It was an “Aha” moment when I recognized that if I leaned left or right from center, the burning was virtually eliminated (actually more like a “Duh” moment after thought).
Tammy
~can’t wait to try this fabulous French onion soup recipe
I’ll have to try that next time! Hope you love this one 🙂
Came across this on good ole Pinterest and can’t wait to try it! (Mouth watering!) And enjoying your site. Thanks for sharing!
My tips for onion slicing: I read somewhere that it’s the asidity of the onion competing with your own pH. Tip one be hydrated, drink water. Two, cut the top first then the root, peel the outer layer and rince in cold water, then slice. This is what I do and I haven’t cried for an onion in years! 🙂
Hope you love it! And thank you for the tips 🙂 great ideas!
Hi Em,
A real razor sharp knife will go long way to stopping the tears. A blunt knife crushes the onion vessels and instead of slicing through them it just squirts the juice into the air and into your eyes.
I usually try to use a sharp knife, but maybe I’ll have to sharpen them more 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
Delicious! Thanks!
Great recipe. My family loved it!! Even the grandkids.
Amazing! I’m glad to hear that 🙂
I made this soup today and it turned out great! Thank you!
I’m so glad!
Many people just wear swimming goggles while slicing onions to prevent tearing up.
That works too!
I am looking forward to trying this recipe after initially browsing your website and falling in love with the tomato and basil soup recipe! A good tip for preventing onion tears is to leave the tap running in the kitchen sink, peel and slice the onions in half under the water and continue to chop the rest on the chopping board. It’s always worked for me 🙂
I’m so glad you found Ambitious Kitchen! Love that soup 🙂 and great tip with the onions. Hope you love this one just as much!
re: onions. easy solution is to simply put them in the freezer for twenty or so minutes before slicing. then they don’t spray onion juice when cut.
i used to run a bar and grill at a golf course serving high volume burgers, so tons of daily onion slicing. we’d put a huge bag of onions in the freezer before prepping. it works like a charm. no goggles needed 🙂
Great tip! I’ll have to try it next time 🙂