French onion soup is a classic dish that is perfect for a cold winter night. This hearty soup is made with caramelized onions, beef broth, and croutons, and it is topped with melted Gruyère cheese. Its origins can be traced back to the 18th century, and it has been a popular dish ever since. There are many different variations of French onion soup, but the basic ingredients remain the same. The key to a great French onion soup is to use high-quality ingredients and to caramelize the onions slowly and evenly. This will give the soup a rich, deep flavor that is simply irresistible.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
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
THE BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP
This bistro classic is deceptively easy to make. It just takes a little time and a few good ingredients. We found that yellow onions, also known as Spanish onions, work best for this recipe. They have a nice balance of sweetness and bitterness and caramelize perfectly. Just don't take them too dark -- a nice golden brown is perfect. Good beef broth also makes a big difference. If you can't make your own, look for a high-quality prepared variety.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories appetizer
Time 1h55m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Melt the butter in a very large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and light golden-brown, about 1 hour. (The onions will begin to stick to the bottom of the pan and turn brown after about 30 minutes; just keep scraping them up and stirring them into the rest of the onions. If they are browning to quickly, lower the heat.)
- Add the wine to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until it has almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors come together and the soup is rich, about 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep the soup warm on a low burner or cool completely and refrigerate to reheat later. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
- Preheat the broiler. Place four soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet and fill them about 3/4 of the way with hot soup. Float a slice of baguette on top of each and cover with 1/2 cup Gruyere. Broil until the Gruyere is golden brown (don't be alarmed if some soup bubbles out), 2 to 3 minutes.
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 RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: olive oil, butter, yellow onion, salt, sugar, flour, beef stock, white wine, ground sage, whole bay leaf, french bread, cognac, swiss cheese, pepper, parmesan cheese
Provided by Tasty
Categories Lunch
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and add butter. Once the butter is melted, stir the onions and coat with oil and butter.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes, checking occasionally.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add ½ tsp salt and sugar. Stir and keep cooking until onions are brown and caramelized. (the bottom of the pan will develop some browning, it's very important!)
- Stir in flour one tablespoon at a time and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Preheat Oven To 325˚F (160˚C).
- Add 1 cup (235 ml) of the beef broth. Use a whisk to scrape up (deglaze) the browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the remaining five cups of beef stock, wine, sage and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut the french bread or baguette into ½ inch (10 mm) thick pieces. Brush with oil on both sides and bake at 325˚F (160˚C) for 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Once they are done, increase oven temperature to 350˚F (175˚C).
- Add optional ingredients.
- In an oven safe bowl, pour the onion soup, filling about ¾ of the way full. Top with a piece of baked french bread, and generously sprinkle swiss and parmesan on top.
- Bake for two to three minutes or until the cheese has melted completely and become slightly golden.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1549 calories, Carbohydrate 167 grams, Fat 64 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 45 grams, Sugar 38 grams
FRENCH ONION SOUP VII
Beautiful French onion soup. Good for a cold evening or after a late night as a midnight snack. Alternatively, grill the bread and cheese first, and serve in soup or on the side. This keeps well; in fact, it gets better with time. Enjoy and experiment!
Provided by Zabocka
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Onion Soup Recipes French Onion Soup Recipes
Time 40m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions until deep brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in broth and wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until heated through.
- Preheat oven on broiler setting. Ladle soup into heatproof serving bowls. Top each bowl with a slice of bread, and sprinkle with cheese. Place under a hot broiler until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 342.6 calories, Carbohydrate 29.4 g, Cholesterol 44.4 mg, Fat 14.6 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 13.7 g, SaturatedFat 8.8 g, Sodium 699.3 mg, Sugar 10.4 g
SEVEN-ONION SOUP
Traditional French onion soup has gobs of cheese. This version achieves the same full flavor from dried porcini mushrooms and a bit of Marsala wine.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat, combine the olive oil, red, white, yellow, and pearl onions, and the shallots and saute until golden brown and soft.
- Add the leeks and chives and cook until the onions turn a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more, or until the mixture begins to bubble.
- Add 2 cups of stock every 15 minutes for the next 45 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce by one-fourth after each addition.
- Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves with the last 2 cups of stock. The soup will be a very deep brown. Ladle into deep soup bowls and garnish with thyme sprigs.
AUTHENTIC FRENCH ONION SOUP COURTESY OF JULIA CHILD
There are a lot of French Onion Soup recipes on Zaar, but I think that this very authentic version deserves a place on the list. After making many of the existing recipes with success, I wrote down this recipe while watching Julia Child in a very old episode of "The French Chef". It takes a little longer, but the time is very well spent. It is also more detailed than others and includes fool-proof instructions for properly browning onions as well as many extra add-ins. Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients. The sage, wine, raw onion, and cognac are optional, but they contribute a lot, so use what you have. The result is an out-of-this-world onion soup with an amazing depth of flavor. You can make this even days ahead of time and then add the toasted bread ("croutes" as Julia calls them) and cheese and bake it the day of. This can be made vegetarian by using a beefy-flavored veg broth such as Better than Bullion Beefless broth instead of beef stock. Try it and love it! Enjoy!
Provided by Anita de la Costa
Categories European
Time 2h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat.
- Add 1 Tbs cooking oil, 2Tbs butter to pot.
- Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
- Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
- To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat.
- Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly.
- Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions.
- Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here).
- Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits.
- Add the rest of the stock, wine to the soup.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
- Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total).
- Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Transfer to a casserole dish.
- At this point you can add the 2-3 Tbs cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup.
- Add a few ounces of the swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir.
- Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning.
- Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter.
- Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
- Turn on broiler and brown cheese well.
- Let cool for a few minutes.
- Bon Apetit!
Tips:
- Use a good quality broth as the base of your soup. A homemade broth is ideal, but a store-bought broth can also be used.
- Caramelize the onions slowly and patiently. This will develop their flavor and sweetness.
- Don't be afraid to add a little bit of red wine to the soup. It will add a nice depth of flavor.
- Use a good quality Gruyère cheese. This will melt smoothly and give the soup a rich, nutty flavor.
- Serve the soup hot, with a crusty baguette for dipping.
Conclusion:
French onion soup is a classic dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is rich, flavorful, and comforting. With a few simple tips, you can make a delicious French onion soup that your family and friends will love.
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