Classic French Onion Soup (Printable version)

Caramelized onions in savory broth, crowned with toasted baguette and melted Gruyère for authentic bistro flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Alliums

01 - 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
03 - 3 shallots, thinly sliced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Fats

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Umami

07 - 8 cups high-quality beef broth
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 - 0.5 cup dry white wine
11 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ Bread & Cheese

13 - 1 baguette, sliced into 0.5 inch rounds
14 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
15 - 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Seasonings

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
02 - Add the sliced onions, leeks, and shallots. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft and deep golden brown, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
03 - Deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
04 - Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
06 - Preheat the oven broiler.
07 - Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with toasted baguette slices and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese.
09 - Place bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
10 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra thyme if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That moment when melted cheese and hot broth meet crispy bread is pure comfort you didn't know you needed.
  • It tastes like you spent hours in a Parisian kitchen, but the technique is honestly quite forgiving once you understand the rhythm.
  • This soup has the power to turn a regular Tuesday dinner into something people actually remember and ask for again.
02 -
  • Don't rush the caramelization step—I've watched people try to speed it up with high heat and end up with burnt onions instead of caramelized ones, which tastes acrid and wrong.
  • The oven-safe bowl requirement is non-negotiable; regular bowls will crack under the broiler, and watching a bowl shatter mid-service is genuinely upsetting.
  • Taste your broth before using it because some store-bought versions are saltier than others, and you don't want oversalted soup.
03 -
  • Buy pre-grated cheese if it saves you time, but know that freshly grated melts slightly more smoothly because there's no anti-caking powder in it.
  • If your cheese isn't browning under the broiler, you might have the rack too far away—move it closer so the heat is more intense and the top gets those caramelized edges.
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