Description
Silky French onion soup showcases golden caramelized onions simmered in rich beef broth with layers of complex flavor. Melted gruyère cheese and crusty baguette slices crown this classic comfort dish you’ll savor with each warming spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large onions, thinly sliced
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
- 4 slices baguette, toasted
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Liquid Component:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) dry white wine
Instructions
- Select a large, heavy-bottomed pot and gently melt butter over medium-low heat, ensuring even distribution across the cooking surface.
- Add thinly sliced onions to the melted butter, stirring occasionally and allowing them to slowly transform from pale white to a rich, deep golden-brown color, approximately 25-30 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic and a pinch of granulated sugar to the caramelized onions, stirring continuously for 2 minutes to enhance the aromatic profile and deepen the flavor complexity.
- Pour white wine into the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom, creating a flavorful fond and allowing the liquid to reduce for about 5 minutes.
- Incorporate beef broth, fresh thyme leaves, and a single bay leaf into the pot, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil before reducing heat and simmering for 20-25 minutes.
- Season the soup with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting the seasoning to achieve a balanced flavor profile.
- Preheat the broiler to high, positioning the oven rack approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) from the heat source.
- Carefully ladle the hot soup into individual oven-safe ceramic bowls, ensuring even distribution.
- Top each bowl with a toasted baguette slice, generously covering the surface with grated Gruyère cheese.
- Place the bowls under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watching closely to achieve a golden, bubbling cheese crust without burning.
- Remove the bowls from the oven using protective oven mitts, allowing them to rest for a moment to prevent burns.
- Discard the bay leaf before serving, presenting the soup hot and garnished with a final sprinkle of fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
- Caramelizing onions takes patience and low, steady heat to develop deep, rich flavors without burning.
- White wine adds a subtle acidic brightness that cuts through the sweetness of the caramelized onions and enhances overall depth.
- Gruyère cheese melts beautifully, creating a golden, crispy top that transforms this soup from simple to spectacular.
- Using fresh thyme leaves brings an aromatic herbaceous note that perfectly complements the sweet onions and savory beef broth.
- Always remove the bay leaf before serving to prevent guests from accidentally biting into the tough, inedible herb.
- Oven-safe bowls are critical for achieving the signature bubbly, golden cheese topping under the broiler.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg