THE BEST French Onion Soup
This homemade French Onion Soup recipe will knock your socks off! Made with the richest broth, perfect caramelized onions, and topped with three different types of melted cheese!
- 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 ((see note))
- 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)
- 5 1-inch thick slices of French bread
- 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)
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add in the onions and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium, stir in the salt and sugar; cook for another 35 minutes, stirring occasionally (every 5 minutes or so), until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
- Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom and sides.
- Add in the beef broth, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Gently simmer over medium/medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove and discard the herbs.
- Mix in balsamic vinegar and taste. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Reduce heat to low, cover to keep hot while you prepare the bread.
- Preheat oven broiler, with rack 6 inches from the heat source. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides with the olive oil. Broil 2-3 minutes total, flipping once, until well toasted on both sides. (NOTE: keep an eye on the bread the entire time to ensure it doesn't burn. Every oven is different.) Remove from heat; leave broiler on.
- Arrange oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, and sprinkle with the Swiss, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
- Broil until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will fall over the sides of the crock and form a wonderful crusty seal.
- Serve and enjoy!
5 STAR REVIEW
What can I say about French onion soup? It’s in a soup class all by itself. It originated in ancient times and was actually considered a “poor man’s soup” using mostly inexpensive onions and water. But this humble peasant food got an upgrade in the 18th century in Paris, France with silky buttery caramelized onions, rich beef broth, crunchy bread, and gooey cheese. The modern version will make you weak in the knees. It’s head and shoulders above English onion soup that typically uses a more mellow broth, cheddar cheese, and dense bread.
If you’ve only tried French onion soup from a store-bought container, your mind is about to be blown. This homemade version is far superior in flavor and quality. Dare I say, it’s even better than from a restaurant.
And don’t worry beginners! This soup is actually quite easy to put together, it just takes a bit of patience. I’ve laid out all the steps in detail, including photos and a video for visual help. A bowl of this is pure comfort food and always hits the spot on a cold dreary day and surprisingly not calorie-dense even though it tastes like it!
Key Components for the Best French Onion Soup
- Stock. This soup is traditionally made with beef stock. (I use a combination of beef and chicken broth.) If you’ve got scraps from a leftover roast and time to make beef stock from scratch, do it! I never have time for that, so I opt for store-bought and actually get it from the butcher. Either way, make sure it’s the best quality. It’s the base of this soup and can make or break it.
- Onions. The classic way to make this soup is to use large yellow onions. But there’s no shame in using white, red, sweet, or even a combination of all four. Properly caramelizing the onions is critical. It happens when the natural sugar in the onions reaches a certain temperature. This takes a while, stirring occasionally, not constantly, or they won’t brown. A quick sauté or even golden is not good enough for French onion soup. Those onions need to be fully caramelized for the deepest color and flavor. It’s a non-negotiable.
- Bread. A slice of toasted bread (with melty cheese) sits atop the soup that provides a satisfying crunch, but also softens as it absorbs the rich broth. French bread is the classic way to go because it’s sturdy and slices fit perfectly in oven-safe crocks.
- Cheese. Gruyere cheese is the traditional choice. In this recipe, I use a combination of Gruyere (Swiss), Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Whichever you choose, make sure it’s freshly shredded right off the block for best taste, texture, and melting capability.
- Time. Time and patience is required for this soup. But the pay off is worth it, I promise! Properly caramelized onions takes time, about 40 minutes. Then those simmer in the broth for a long time. Skimping on either will get you less than stellar results. The good news is, a lot of the time is hands-off, so at least you’re not laboring away at the stove the entire time.
