French Onion Soup Recipe

By The Cooking World, Editorial Staff

April 1, 2022

A Classic French Onion Soup Recipe

It's time for another classic of French cuisine. After last week we shared a recipe for Leek and Potato Soup, today, we decided to share a delicious French Onion Soup Recipe with you.

This week's recipe almost could be a We Cook Books recipe because this french onion soup is very similar to the one you'll find in An Unapologetic Cookbook by Joshua Waissman.

For us, this is one of the best soups you could have. Sweet caramelized onions, rich beef stock, crunchy bread, and melty cheese are everything you could want in a single sip of soup.

PREP TIME

20 minutes

COOK TIME

2 hours 10 minutes

serves

Ingredients

1.5 kg (3 1/2 pounds) onions
70 g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
15 ml (1 tablespoon) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
310 (1 1/4 cups) white wine
1.5 l (1 1/2 qt) beef stock
2 bay leaves
10 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen twine
45 ml (3 tablespoons) dry sherry
200 g ( 7 oz) gruyere
200 g (7 oz) gouda
Baguette or other crusty bread, cut into 1.25 - 2.5 cm (1/2 - 1-inch) slices, to serve (2 slices per person)

Special Equipment

Stockpot‍
‍Cheese Grater
Measuring Cups
Digital Scale

‍

Instructions

Cut off and discard the tops and bottoms of the onions. Cut in half, peel, and slice thinly across the grain.
In a 5.5 - 7.5-litter (6-to 8-quart) stockpot, add 42 g (3 tablespoons) butter and the olive oil. Heat over medium heat.
Once the butter begins to bubble, add the sliced onions. Season with salt, and stir to coat the onions with the butter and disperse the salt.
To caramelize, cook the onions over medium heat, stirring frequently and gently, for 45 to 90 minutes. Adjust the heat between medium and low as needed. If the onions start to stick, add a splash of water to loosen. The longer the onions cook, the softer they get, so start to fold them instead of stirring to prevent the onions from becoming mushy. Once the onions reach a very dark brown, they are finished.
After the onions are cooked, add the white wine and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by about 75 percent.
Add the beef stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and thyme bundle to the pot. Let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until slightly reduced and slightly thickened.
Add the dry sherry (if using) and let simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Remove the pot from the heat, remove the bay leaves and bundle of thyme, and stir in the remaining 28 g (2 tablespoons) of butter, mixing together until completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 220 ºC (425 °F). Grate the Gruyère and Gouda, and toss the shreds together. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Bake the slices for 5 to 7 minutes, or until crispy but not browned. Remove the bread and then preheat the broiler to high.