Easy French Onion Soup Recipe

Large red mug with French onion soup, topped with a slice of baguette with melted cheese.

5 stars (1 review)

Bring out the food processor and follow this simple step-by-step recipe for how to make rich, beefy and delicious French onion soup with slices of toasted baguette covered in melty gruyere cheese in only 1 hour.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: French

Servings: servings

Calories: 345kcal

Author: Sommer Collier

Equipment

1 Food processor

Ingredients

4 pounds onions peeled and sliced thin
8 tablespoons butter
3-5 cloves garlic minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
10 cups beef broth or water + beef base
3 tablespoon cooking sherry
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 baguette
8 ounces gruyere cheese or provolone
Salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice the onions into thin strips. (Use a food processor to make this quick and easy.)
Place a large 6 to 8 quart soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the butter and onions to the soup pot. Sauté the onions low and slow for 20 to 30 minutes until they reach a dark caramel color. For the first 15 to 20 minutes, you'll need to stir them every 5 minutes until they cook down. After they start turning brown, stir them every 2 minutes until you reach your desired color. Remember, the darker the onions, the more rich the flavor and color of the soup. Just be careful not to burn them!
Once the onions have reached the desired color, stir in the minced garlic and flour. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, string regularly.
Add the beef broth, cooking Sherry, and fresh thyme leaves. Pepper the soup liberally but do not salt it yet.
Turn the heat up and bring the soup to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, then add salt as needed.
Meanwhile, turn the boiler on and set out a large baking sheet.
Slice the baguette into 10 slices, approximately ¾ - 1 inch thick. Shred the cheese and generously spread the cheese over the top of each piece of bread. It's OK if it rolls over the sides.
Broil the cheese toasts for 1-3 minutes until gold and bubbly on top.
Ladle the hot soup into soup bowls. Use a thin metal spatula to lift the cheese toast with the surrounding melted cheese and place them in the soup bowls. Garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves if desired.

Video

Notes

Pro Tip: If you want the soup to have an extra beefy flavor, use water and a beef base instead of broth. That way, you can add extra beef base to make the flavor richer.

Leftovers: Cool the soup completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

I suggest making the toasted baguettes with cheese the day you plan on serving them, as they don't hold over quite so well. If you do happen to have leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge for a day or so. Reheat them by placing them on a baking sheet and broiling them for 1-2 minutes, just until they are warm and the cheese is slightly soft again.

To Freeze: Place the cooled soup in an airtight container, and wrap in a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop or microwaving in short 1-minute bursts at 50% power.

Nutrition