Indulge in the classic French delicacy, French onion soup. This rich and flavorful soup is a symphony of caramelized onions, savory broth, and melted cheese, served with a toasted baguette or crouton for a delightful contrast. Our collection of French onion soup recipes offers a diverse range of techniques and variations, catering to various preferences and skill levels. Discover the traditional version, made with slowly caramelized onions that release their natural sweetness, and delight in the modern interpretations, such as the vegetarian option with a flavorful vegetable broth and the tantalizing gratinée version topped with a golden-brown cheese crust. Each recipe provides detailed instructions, helpful tips, and stunning photos to guide you through the process of creating this French bistro staple in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
FRENCH ONION SOUP
In 1954, what was then called the Food News Department of The New York Times released a pamphlet simply called "Soups," which had 20 recipes for soups "thick and thin, hot and cold," including those for minestrone, shrimp bisque and this French onion soup. We've updated the recipe adding sherry and wine to layer in more flavors. The bulk of the time is spent on caramelizing the onions, a process that always takes longer than it seems it should. But it's worth the wait.
Provided by Sara Bonisteel
Categories lunch, soups and stews, main course
Time 1h20m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes. Remove lid and let onions caramelize until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. The caramelization process may take 45 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm broth in a saucepan over low heat.
- Once onions are caramelized, add wine and sherry to the pot and allow mixture to come to boil. Stir in flour and let thicken for a minute or two.
- Slowly add warm broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper to the onion mixture and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat the broiler, and arrange individual ovenproof casseroles on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into casseroles, and cover top with bread slices. Sprinkle each casserole generously with Gruyère. Broil for a minute or two, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 181, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 6 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 942 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP
Enjoy my signature French onion soup the way my granddaughter Becky does: I make onion soup for her in a crock bowl, complete with garlic croutons and gobs of melted Swiss cheese on top. -Lou Sansevero, Ferron, Utah
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 2h15m
Yield 12 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened, 10-13 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook 2 minutes longer., Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper and salt; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush both sides with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Bake until toasted, 3-5 minutes on each side. Rub toasts with halved garlic. , To serve, place twelve 8-oz. broiler-safe bowls or ramekins on baking sheets; place 2 toasts in each. Ladle with soup; top with cheese. Broil 4 in. from heat until cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 172 calories, Fat 9g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 10mg cholesterol, Sodium 773mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 6g protein.
FRENCH ONION SOUP I
The best onion soup you will ever have!!!!!
Provided by chefbuzz
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Onion Soup Recipes French Onion Soup Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Melt butter or margarine in a 4 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar. Cook onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Stir in flour until well blended with the onions and pan juices. Add water, wine, and beef broth; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover soup, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cut four 1 inch thick slices of bread from the loaf. Toast the bread slices at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) just until browned, about 10 minutes. Reserve the remaining bread to serve with the soup.
- Ladle soup into four 12 ounce, oven-safe bowls. Place 1 slice toasted bread on top of the soup in each bowl. Fold Swiss cheese slices, and fit onto toasted bread slices. Place soup bowls on a cookie sheet for easier handling.
- Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or just until cheese is melted
Nutrition Facts : Calories 732 calories, Carbohydrate 79.3 g, Cholesterol 88.6 mg, Fat 29.4 g, Fiber 4.2 g, Protein 33.4 g, SaturatedFat 18 g, Sodium 2004.2 mg, Sugar 8.4 g
FRENCH ONION SOUP
This classic French onion soup topped with melted gruyère and parmesan is the epitome of rustic comfort food.
Provided by Jennifer Segal
Categories Soups
Yield 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, 45 to 55 minutes. In the beginning, you will only need to stir the onions only occasionally. As they start to brown midway through cooking, you will need to stir them frequently, scraping the fond (the brown particles) from the bottom of the pan. If the onions are browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly or add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and continue cooking.
- Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any fond from the bottom of the pan, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are jammy, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
- Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves and add the sherry; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If the soup needs a deeper flavor, try a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. If it's not quite sweet enough, add ¼ teaspoon sugar.
- Adjust an oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on a baking sheet and divide the hot soup among the crocks (be sure the soup is very hot as it won't warm up much in the oven). Top each crock with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère and then Parmigianno Reggiano. Slide the crocks into the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the crocks cool for a few minutes before serving. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each toast slice with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide the soup among bowls and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The soup can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese), or up to 3 months ahead and frozen. Toasts can be made (without the cheese) and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 642, Fat 31 g, Carbohydrate 53 g, Protein 31 g, SaturatedFat 17 g, Sugar 19 g, Fiber 4 g, Sodium 1,697 mg, Cholesterol 82 mg
FRENCH ONION SOUP
For a taste of the bistro, try Tyler Florence's ultimate French Onion Soup recipe, topped with nutty Gruy�re croutons.
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories side-dish
Time 1h10m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
- Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Our French onion soup is deliciously rich and easy to make at home. This savoury soup is perfect for using up a garden glut and great for dinner parties
Provided by Sara Buenfeld
Categories Lunch, Main course
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft.
- Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don't burn.
- Add the garlic cloves for the final few minutes of the onions' cooking time, then sprinkle in the plain flour and stir well.
- Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the beef stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins.
- To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls.
- Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the gruyère. Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can cook the toasts under the grill, then add them to the soup to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 618 calories, Fat 27 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 59 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 17 grams sugar, Fiber 9 grams fiber, Protein 26 grams protein, Sodium 2.6 milligram of sodium
ONION LOOSE-MEAT SANDWICHES
With French onion soup, these sandwiches don't have the typical flavor of most sloppy joes. My sisters and I rely on this recipe from Mom on days when there's little time to cook. - Kathy Petorsky, Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 25m
Yield 6-8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Spoon onto buns; top with cheese and pickles if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 253 calories, Fat 10g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 43mg cholesterol, Sodium 526mg sodium, Carbohydrate 21g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 19g protein.
Tips:
- Use a good quality beef broth as the base of your soup. This will give the soup a rich, flavorful base.
- Caramelize the onions slowly and patiently. This will develop their sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Use a variety of cheeses in your soup. This will create a complex and flavorful cheese blend.
- Toast the bread before adding it to the soup. This will help it to hold its shape and prevent it from becoming soggy.
- Serve the soup hot, topped with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Conclusion:
French onion soup is a classic French soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is rich, flavorful, and comforting. This recipe is easy to follow and will produce a delicious soup that your family and friends will love. So next time you are looking for a warm and satisfying meal, give this French onion soup recipe a try.
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