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5 from 10 votes

Easy French Onion Soup Recipe

This Easy French Onion Soup recipe is a classic and loaded with rich beef broth, caramelized onions and topped with bread and melted cheese.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: french onion soup
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Kathryn Donangelo

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 7-8 cups yellow onions; thinly sliced medium-sized
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 tsp. powdered sage
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 6 cups beef broth or beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves

French Onion Soup toppings

  • 1 loaf french bread; sliced
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil to drizzle on bread
  • 12 slices swiss cheese or gruyere cheese
  • parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

To make the french onion soup

  • In a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pan on medium heat, heat olive oil, butter and onions and cook for 20-25 minutes until onions have become tender and have caramelized. The onions will reduce drastically to almost half and turn into a light golden brown color.
  • Season the onions with salt, pepper and garlic. Stir for a few minutes until garlic cooks and then add flour and stir until ingredients are combined.
  • Stir in the wine, sage, and thyme. The flour should disolve and the onion mixture will thicken. Simmer for a few minutes to cook up the raw flour flavor.
  • Add the beef broth and be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get all of the brown bits- this will give the soup so much flavor! Stir again and add in bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cook for at 40-50 minutes- stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig and taste for salt and pepper.

Toast the bread

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees F. While the soup is simmering, slice the baguette slices into 1-inch thick slices and brush slices with olive oil. Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until the bread is toasted and golden around the edges.
  • Assemble the french onion soup
  • Switch the oven to broil. When the soup is ready, laddle soup into oven-safe bowls and place on a sturdy baking sheet. To assemble, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the spoup, then add a slice of cheese, top with a baguette slice, another slice of cheese and another with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Broil for about 2-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and serve immediately while the soup is hot. Enjoy!