Let’s Have a Chat About French Onion Soup (Over Soup?)
Alright, so French Onion soup. This one’s close to my heart—and not just because of all the cheese. First time I made it? Absolute disaster (burnt onions, smoke alarm, hilariously bad). But somehow, it stuck around in the family rotation; maybe it’s just the magic of buttery onions turning into something amazing with patience, or maybe it’s the excuse for carb-loading on too much cheesy bread. My sister still reminds me of the time I tried to rush it and basically made onion-flavored water. Now, though, I pull it out on cold nights, or, you know, whenever I need to feel vaguely fancy but still want to eat in my pajamas.
Why Even Bother? (Because It’s Kind of Epic)
I make this soup when the weather’s grumpy or when I’ve got people coming over who appreciate melted cheese (so, everyone I know?). My family just goes bananas for it, especially once they realize there’s crusty bread drowning in gooey cheese lurking on top. Oddly enough, even the pickiest niece—who claims she ‘hates onions’—ends up scraping her bowl (telling me it ‘tastes like pizza soup,’ which I’m taking as a win, honestly). I’ll admit, caramelizing the onions takes ages; there’s no magical shortcut. I used to think I could just crank the heat up—don’t do it! Charred sludge isn’t what we’re after here.
Stuff You Need (With My Usual Swaps)
- 5-6 big yellow onions (Spanish onions work too—or a blend, if you want to mix it up)
- 3 tablespoons butter (I use salted, sometimes—my gran swore by unsalted but honestly… I just use whatever’s handy)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flour (plain all-purpose, but I’ve been naughty and used cornstarch in a pinch. It’s fine.)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or a splash more if you “lose” some to taste-testing; skip it for beef stock if you don’t do wine)
- 6 cups beef stock (or veg if that’s your jam—chicken’s not bad either, tasted decent, but beef is classic)
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme (dried works in the winter when the garden is sad)
- 1 bay leaf
- French bread, sliced (baguette is lovely, but ciabatta got me through one time when that’s all the shop had)
- About 1½ cups grated Gruyère (Comté is posh but I use regular Swiss or even mozzarella if I’m out. Seriously.)
- Big pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper
How I Bungle My Way Through Making It
- Slice your onions (and try not to cry). I go for thinish half-moons, but nobody’s measuring. Heat up a heavy pot with the butter and oil over medium heat.
- Dump in the onions. This is the patience bit. Start on medium, then as they cook down, keep stirring (I mean, you could leave them alone for three minutes here and there. But don’t forget or they’ll stick!). Lower the heat once they’re translucent. Then just keep swirling ‘em patiently until they’re soft and golden brown—can take 35-45 minutes. (Honestly, this is when I make myself a cup of tea or poke around in the fridge for snacks.) If they’re catching, a splash of water saves the day.
- Toss in the flour, stir for a couple minutes. It’ll get a bit pasty—don’t panic.
- Pour in the wine, stir/scrape up any onion stuck to the bottom—this is flavor gold.
- Chuck in the stock, thyme and bay leaf. I season with salt and pepper here, but, on second thought, wait to salt if your stock is already super salty.
- Bring to a simmer (not a hard boil), and let it go for 20ish minutes. This is where I usually sneak a taste and get burned, so learn from my mistakes: blow before you sip!
- Meanwhile, get the bread ready: Toast your slices under the broiler (or in the oven) till golden. I’ve definitely just stuck them in the toaster once or twice—works fine.
- Ladle soup into bowls that can handle heat (I’ve used teacups in an emergency, and, well, they survived). Float toasted bread on top and pile on the cheese.
- Broil or bake until bubbly and golden on top—like, proper bubbly and maybe a couple singed edges are desirable here. Don’t wander off, it goes from perfect to charcoal fast.
- Let cool a tick (seriously, molten cheese is a hazard), then dig in.
Notes from My Messy Kitchen
- If you use red onions, the soup goes kind of a funky color, but it’s still tasty. Just… purple-ish.
- Forgot the thyme once, didn’t miss it until I realized after the fact.
- Huge pot is best, but I’ve squashed this into a saucepan before (be ready for onions to try to escape).
- I keep a stash of cheese odds and ends—that works in a pinch. Nobody’s noticed yet.
Things I’ve Tried With It (Some Worked, Some Didn’t)
- Added a glug of brandy once – wow, that’s boozy, but yum. Only for grown-ups.
- Once swapped in chicken stock: lighter flavor, was actually pretty good!
- Used cheddar in a fit of desperation. Did not win any awards from my crowd, but… it was edible.
- One time I tried throwing in mushrooms—honestly, not my finest moment, turned kinda strange.
If You Don’t Have Fancy Gear
A Dutch oven rules, but I have made this in a stockpot and, yes, even in a battered old soup pot I nicked from my parents (shh). For the broiling, just use your oven’s top rack with a baking sheet, or even a toaster oven if you’re doing a tiny batch—you don’t need special crocks. Mugs have served the purpose in my house and nobody complained (except maybe about cleanup).
How to Stash the Leftovers (If There Are Any!)
In an airtight container in the fridge; it’ll keep a few days. I think it tastes better the next day, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! You can freeze it, but keep the bread and cheese out ‘til you’re reheating—trust me, soggy bread just isn’t the vibe.
How I Like to Serve It (And Maybe You Will Too)
It’s classic as a starter, but, real talk: I serve monster bowls with a mountain of cheese toast and call it dinner. Occasionally someone gets a side salad, but that’s just for appearances. On special occasions (or, let’s be real, snow days), I make twice as much toast as the recipe calls for, because people beg for extra. My uncle dips his toast in twice—no soup etiquette here.
Some Hard-Earned Pro Tips (Learn From My Fails)
- Patience on the onions: I once tried rushing this step and regretted it because I got crispy bits and no flavor. Don’t do what I did!
- Taste as you go, but don’t scorch your tongue (I forget, every time…)
- Broil with the oven door ajar if you want the cheese really bubbly. But (and this is important), don’t get distracted by your phone. Learn form my mistakes there.
- Don’t worry if your onions look pretty messy at some point—mine always do, and the soup still turns out pretty nice.
Hey, Aren’t These Good Questions?
- Can I make this vegetarian?
- You bet—just use veggie stock. I’ve done it and nobody minded (although one cousin said he missed the beefiness, not sure if that’s a word).
- Do I have to use Gruyère?
- Nope. Use Swiss, or whatever’s melting in the fridge. I even used a slab of leftover brie once and, surprise, it worked!
- Why so many onions?
- Well, they shrink a LOT. You’ll think you overdid it, then poof—they’re gone. Plus, flavor city.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yup, actually, I find it works better if you let it sit overnight. The flavors get all cozy together. Just leave the bread and cheese till serving time.
- I don’t have oven-safe bowls—what then?
- Neither did I for years—just make cheese toasts, plop one on each bowl, then pour the soup over. Not exactly textbook but who’s judging?
So, that’s how I do French Onion soup—sometimes messily, often with extra cheese, and always with seconds. If you end up with more ideas, let me know! (Onion fan club, anyone?)
Ingredients
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 slices French baguette
- 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
Instructions
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1Melt butter with olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and deep golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
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2Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the thyme leaves.
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3Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
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4Add the beef broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
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5While the soup simmers, toast the baguette slices under a broiler until golden brown on both sides.
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6Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with a slice of toasted baguette and a generous amount of grated Gruyère cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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