French Onion Soup Recipe

A white bowl of French Onion Soup topped with melted cheese and two toasted baguette slices, garnished with chopped parsley, sits on a wooden plate.

4.86 from 41 votes

My French onion soup recipe is easy to make with deeply caramelized onions, rich broth, and a Gruyère–topped baguette broiled until bubbly. Cozy, elegant, and the perfect foolproof soup recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Carrie Barnard

Cost: $12.80, $2.13 per Serving

Ingredients

4-5 large yellow onions thinly sliced
4 tablespoons Butter
3 garlic cloves minced (for 1 tablespoon of minced garlic)
4 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 cup dry white wine
6 cups beef broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 baguette
6 oz Gruyere cheese - shredded or sliced

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large, heavy stockpot over medium heat.
Add the sliced onions and cook for about 30–40 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until deeply golden and caramelized. Reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning.
Stir in the minced garlic and flour. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and beef broth. Stir to combine.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Slice the baguette into approximately 1-inch-thick slices and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake for 5–6 minutes, or until lightly toasted and golden around the edges.
Switch the oven to broil.
Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls.
Top each bowl with 1–2 toasted baguette slices and divide the Gruyère cheese evenly over the top.
Broil for 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
Carefully remove the bowls from the oven and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

The ingredient list calls for 4–5 large onions. The recipe cost uses 5 onions.

For the best French onion soup flavor, cook the onions slowly until they are deeply caramelized rather than simply softened.

Make sure your serving bowls are oven-safe before placing them under the broiler. If they are not, place the Gruyère on the toasted baguette slices and broil those separately, then place the cheesy bread on top of each bowl of soup.

Store leftover soup separately from the bread and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Nutrition