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 mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: french onion soup
Servings: 6 servings
- 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
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!