A divinely luxurious French Onion Soup just in time to enjoy throughout the holiday season! Imbued with wildly delicious flavours and an impossibly cheesy topping, this is a triumphant, spectacular soup that everyone will love. As always, make sure to read through the post for all my tips to make the best French onion soup.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr35 minutesmins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oilor use 4 tbsp butter
3 1/5 to 4poundsyellow onions (about 6 to 7 large)peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 1/4cup(295ml) white wine
8cups (1.9 litres) good-quality low-sodium beef broth, chicken broth or a mix
2bay leaves
1small bunch of thyme,tied with cooking string (can use 4 loose sprigs)
2tablespoonsdry sherryoptional, but delicious
2tablespoonswhite wine vinegaror other similar vinegar such as sherry, red wine, apple cider, white balsamic, etc
For the cheesy bread
French baguette or country bread cut into 1/2-inch slices (you will need at least 8 slices)
olive oil optional, for brushing bread
1clove of garlic, peeledoptional, for rubbing bread
1 1/2cups(165g) Gruyère cheesegrated
Instructions
Place a a large, heavy bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil (if using) and all the sliced onions. Cover the pot and cook onions for 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover, toss the onions vigorously with tongs or a wooden spoon, and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover again, and cook for 10 minutes to allow the onions to soften. You shouldn't have to worry about them, but check on them once or twice, just in case.
Uncover the pot and increase heat to medium. Cook the onions, stirring every 3-5 minutes or so, then more frequently towards the end, until the onions have caramelized into a deep golden-brown colour. This should take anywhere from 45 to 65 minutes. Tip: Lower the heat if they are burning or browning too quickly. And if at anytime the onions are sticking to the bottom of the pot, add a few splashes of water.
Once onions are caramelized, add the wine, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for a few minutes until wine has reduced slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the broth, bay leaves, fresh thyme bundle (or sprigs), and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Stir in dry sherry and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if necessary.
While the soup is simmering, toast the bread slices. Heat your broiler and lightly brush the bread slices with olive oil (optional). Lightly toast the bread until golden and firm. If you wish, rub the warm toasts with a raw clove of garlic (I always do). Set toasts aside.
When soup is ready, heat the broiler. Place 6 oven-safe soup bowls on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into the bowls and top with a piece of toast (you can use two slices if they are small, or trim it to fit if too large). Sprinkle the cheese all over the top of the soup bowl.
Place the baking sheet about 6-inches under the heat and broil until the cheese has completely melted, about 2-4 minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Make Ahead:You can caramelize the onions up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to get more out of the way, go through with preparing the broth, then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.When ready to serve the soup, simply top with cheesy bread and broil.