... Print

The BEST Easy French Onion Soup: Restaurant Quality in Under an Hour

Close-up of a rich french onion soup topped with melted, bubbly Gruyère cheese over toasted bread.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Warm up with this rich, savory French Onion Soup recipe. You get deeply caramelized onions, flavorful beef broth, and a bubbly Gruyère cheese topping, all ready faster than you think. It is pure comfort food perfection!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional, substitute with beef broth)
  • 8 cups quality beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 baguette, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Stir to coat.
  2. Cook the onions slowly, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, for about 30 to 40 minutes until they are deeply caramelized and dark brown. Do not rush this step; this creates the rich flavor base.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. If using wine, pour it in and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
  5. Pour in the beef stock, add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld. Remove the bay leaves and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  6. While the soup simmers, preheat your broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them lightly under the broiler until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Place one or two toasted baguette slices on top of the soup in each bowl.
  8. Generously cover the bread with grated Gruyère cheese.
  9. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and carefully place them under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For the best results, use high-quality beef stock. This makes a big difference in the final savory broth.
  • If you do not have oven-safe bowls, you can melt the cheese on the bread slices separately and float the cheesy toast on top of the soup just before serving.
  • This recipe is great for meal prep; the soup base keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenuser.net/best-french-onion-soup-in-1-hour/