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We love soup all year long, but right now is the perfect time for this Perfect French Onion Soup! Warm and comforting, and totally doable on a weeknight, this soup served with a small side salad will make your dinner and your family will request more!
Such a simple dish, French Onion Soup. Most recipes end up tasting like burnt onion tea with a cheese topping. Not this one! I recommend using only yellow onions for the classic bistro soup.But you can blend them up for a taste that’s a bit different. (Texas sweets are my favorite or Vidalia’s in season, mix in with the yellows and a red) . I usually use which ever stock I happen to have on hand. A homemade beef or chicken broth gives such a complex and different taste, but when it comes to easy you can’t beat the store bought varieties. If you wanted to make this totally vegetarian, substitute a veggie broth. See, simple and easy.
Perfect French Onion Soup
Description
Aged Gruyère is key to getting the traditional bubbling crust of cheese; it’s rich, smooth, and melts easily.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (plus more for the baking sheet)
- 4 medium-large yellow onions (about 2 lb., thinly sliced so you get about 8 cups)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small baguette (1/2 lb., cut into 1/2-inch slices)
- 2 quarts Beef Broth or Chicken Broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups grated Gruyère Cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat.
- Stir in the onions and season with 1 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pot with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft but not falling apart, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove the lid raise the heat to medium high,cook, stirring often, until browned, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the baguette toasts.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the baguette slices on the sheet in a single layer. Bake until the bread is crisp and lightly browned, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Set aside.
To Make the Soup
- Add the broth and bay leaf to the caramelized onions and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve
- Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high.
- Put 6 to 8 broiler proof crocks on a baking sheet.
- Put 2 or 3 toasts in each bowl and ladle the hot soup on top.
- Sprinkle with the cheese and broil until the top is browned and bubbly, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
- Category: Main
I must admit that if French onion soup is on the menu, it’s what I order. I have only made it at home a handful of times. Now that it’s getting colder down here, I want to make THIS!
★★★★★
I love love love it! I rarely order it in restaurants because its more like onion tea. This is well just perfect!
Found you through Courtney’s Sweets & Simply Sundays Link up! I love French Onion soup but always been intimidated to make it myself. This seems so easy though!
Making French Onion Soup is like falling off a log. Many long years ago, I thought it was magical, only found in restaurants. But its EZPZ and we all love it here!
I saw this on the Simple Sundays linkup. Looks delicious! French onion soup is my husband’s favorite and I’ve never made it. Pinning for a cold day, thanks!
Its good even in the dead of Summer! Thanks for dropping by!
I love French Onion Soup! My trick is to roast the onions in the oven to caramelize them first, then add them to the pot and use chicken broth to help deglaze the roasting pan of all the oniony goodness. Yum! I think I might have to make some later this month. Thanks for the inspiration!
I’ve always wanted to make a lovely bistro French Onion soup Like this one. It looks so appetizing. I may give your a try. You make it looks easy and give great tips! Thanks