Classic French Onion Soup Recipe
This Classic French Onion Soup Recipe is inspired by the infamous Julia Child. It consists of a rich, savory beef broth accented with sweet caramelized onions, a hint of seasonings and a decadent layer of Gruyere cheese melted over toasted French bread.
This version is much better than La Madeleine’s French Onion Soup. Once you make it, I think you’ll agree!
Easy to make, this recipe requires a bit of patience when cooking the onions after all, the sweet, caramelized onions are the star of this fabulous and impressive soup!
Serve as an appetizer with beef tenderloin, Brussels sprouts with horseradish cream and a crisp green salad!
Why this recipe works
Some French recipes are pretty simple, just as this classic onion soup recipe is- a few simple ingredients and you’ve got a heart-warming, delicious soup in no time!
- Authentic and foolproof – the seasonings are spot on and the carmelized onions are perfect
- Easy – the hardest part about this recipe is cooking the onions…which requires patience…
- Leftovers are delicious-if you have any soup leftover it will be as good, if not better than the first time around
What is carmelization?
Carmelization is the process of slow cooking and browning foods. This occurs when sugar is in the presence of heat.
Onions are sweet because they inherently contain sugar, so when you slow cook them for a long time, they begin to turn brown, releasing their natural sugars-this is what makes this easy French onion soup so delicious!
Ingredients for French Onion Soup
The ingredients and seasonings are simple: 5-6 large yellow onions (not sweet yellow onions), beef broth or beef stock, olive oil, butter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, groundvsage, dried bay leaf, dry white wine, white vinegar, French bread, shredded Gruyere cheese. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
How to make it
Classic French Onions soup isn’t hard to make, but it does require patience when you’re cooking, or caramelizing the onions on the stovetop.
The carmelized onions take about 30 minutes. The most important thing about this recipe is the carmelized onions, afterall, they’re the main ingredient-so don’t get in a hurry on this part.
One thing is certain– you will need a mandolin or a sharp knife to slice the onions to about 1/8″inch thick
First, use a mandolin or a super sharp knife and thinly slice the onions into thin strips about 1/8″ inch strips. Set the thin onions aside and melt butter and oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven on low to medium-low heat.
Add thinly sliced onions and sugar; cover and cook on medium low heat, stirring frequently using a wooden spoon, for about 20 minutes, or until the sliced onions turn a nice golden brown. Stir onions frequently to prevent burning and scrape up any browned bits from the stockpot.
Once the onions are a nice brown color, sprinkle in the flour and combine well. The purpose of the flour is to absorb some of the residue from the melted butter so your Classic French onion soup isn’t oily, but silky smooth.
Add beef stock, bay leaf, ground sage, and dry white wine; turn the heat to medium-high and boil for 5 minutes. Then turn heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Finally, add vinegar off heat; taste for seasonings; add salt and pepper to your preference
Once the onion soup is done, it’s time to assemble it. Use ovenproof ramekins for best results.
How to assemble French onion soup
Place the oven proof ramekins or oven proof soup bowls on a baking sheet (or cookie sheet) and turn the oven to the broil setting which is about 450° – 500°F. Ladel the onion soup into the ramkins, filling each about 1/2 – 3/4 of the way.
Place a slice of toasted French bread on top of the French onion soup, then sprinkle shredded Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese over the bread.
Place on middle rack of the oven and broil for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it! The cheese topping can burn quickly!
Remove baking sheet from oven and allow the ramekins to cool a little before serving.
Recipe Tips
Classic French Onions soup requires a few simple ingredients, but thin-sliced onions are a must!
Use a sharp knife or mandolin for slicing onions 3mm or 1/8″ inch thick and be patient when carmelizing the onions
Serve soup in oven-safe ramekins-use a hot mitt to remove ramekins from oven – they get HOT!
Wait a few minutes before serving the soup
When serving, place ramekins on a small salad plate or serving platter
Serving suggestions
This full-bodied French onion soup can stand on it’s own or serve as a first course to a delicious entree Chicken Friccasse, a delicious Caesar salad and a side of Ratatouille. Since the soup uses beef broth, it pairs nicely with beef tenderloin and a glass of red or white wine.
Make ahead, storage and reheating
Classic French onion soup can be made in advance; make the soup and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Prior to serving, reheat the soup on the stove or microwave, ladle into ramekins, add bread, cheese and broil!
You can never go wrong with a Classic French Onion Soup! Bon Appétit!
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If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating. I love to hear from you! Thank you!
Classic French Onion Soup
Equipment
- Mandolin slicer is recommended
- Oven-safe ramekins
- Pot holder or oven-mitt – the ramekins get HOT
Ingredients
- 1½-2 pounds onions, yellow or white sliced ⅛"-inch; "plain" yellow; not "sweet yellow onions" See Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons butter , salted or unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cups beef broth, divided (1 cup to deglaze pan)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon sage , ground
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 1 cup dry white wine See Recipe Notes
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 loaf French bread sliced
- 12 ounces Swiss, Gruyere, or Comte cheese ,shredded
Instructions
Make the Soup
- Thinly slice onions; set aside1½-2 pounds onions, yellow or white
- Melt butter and oil in a large stock pot on medium heat2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add sliced onions coat well; turn heat to medium low, cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes (stir them occasionally to ensure they don't burn); be patient…this takes a while1½-2 pounds onions, yellow or white, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Once onions are tender and translucent, turn the heat up to medium-high and add sugar and salt; continue cooking (uncovered) and stirring until onions are thoroughly browned2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Once browned, reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle in flour and cook 2-3 minutes until mixture becomes thick; add 1 cup of beef stock to deglaze the pan and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan;3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Add remaining stock, wine (optional) sage, and bay leaf; bring to boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes; salt and pepper to taste; remove the bay leaf; add vinegar, then salt and pepper to taste½ teaspoon sage, 1 whole bay leaf, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar, salt & pepper
Make the Bread Topping
- Preheat oven to 350ºF; Slice French Bread into 1/4 inch pieces; Lightly coat bread slices with little olive oil and place on oiled baking sheet
- Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 minutes; then turn bread slices and bake another 15 minutes, or until golden brown; Remove from oven and set aside
Soup Assembly
- Turn oven temperature to broil
- Ladle onion soup 2/3 of the way into oven-safe ramekins; add toasted French bread; top with shredded cheese; Place ramekins on baking sheet and place under broiler until cheese is nicely browned12 ounces Swiss, Gruyere, or Comte cheese
- Remove baking sheet from oven; using a paper towel, dip the ends of the paper towel onto the residual oil from the baked cheese
- Ramekins will be extremely hot; allow to sit for about 8 minutes prior to serving
Notes
- Do not substitute “Sweet” Yellow onions for the onions in this recipe. Use plain yellow onions, or white onions, but do not buy “sweet” yellow onions…don’t ask me how I know this:)
