How to Make The Ultimate French Onion Soup

Gruyère cheese

🥗Healthier: low-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: mozzarella cheese

Low-fat cheese reduces calories, while mozzarella is often more affordable.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: chicken broth

Vegetable broth is lower in calories and chicken broth is typically less expensive.

Slice the onions, removing the root and tip, and cut them pole to pole.

In a large dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat.

Add the sliced onions to the pot along with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of table salt, mixing well.

Cover the pot and cook the onions for about 20 minutes to allow them to release moisture.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking the onions for 5 to 10 minutes to drive off excess liquid.

Reduce heat to medium and cook the onions until they are deep golden brown, stirring occasionally.

If fond on the bottom of the pot starts to burn, scrape it up or add a tablespoon of water to lift it off.

After about 40 minutes, the onions should be fully caramelized with a significant amount of fond in the pot.

Add 1 cup of dry red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up the fond while bringing it to a simmer.

Once the wine has nearly evaporated, add 8 cups of beef broth, 1/2 teaspoon of table salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 2 bay leaves, and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme to the pot, stirring to combine.

Increase heat to bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, cut 6 ounces of baguette into one-inch pieces for the croutons.

In a bowl, toss the croutons with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

Spread the croutons on a sheet pan and toast in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

After 30 minutes of simmering, turn off the soup and remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more salt and pepper as needed.

Portion the soup into traditional French onion soup crocks placed on a baking sheet.

Add about 1 cup of Gruyère cheese, dividing it among the crocks, and then add the croutons on top.

Place the crocks in the oven to melt the cheese and serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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Dietary

Allergens