French Onion Soup from 1651

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: chicken broth

Vegetable broth is lower in calories and suitable for vegetarians.

gruyère cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: cheddar cheese

Part-skim mozzarella has fewer calories, while cheddar is often less expensive.

Peel the onions and slice them in half from root to stem.

Chop the onions into fairly thin slices, not needing to be perfect or uniform.

Take a large saucepan and melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Add the onions to the saucepan, which will likely fill the pot, and keep them moving around every couple of minutes to prevent burning.

Cook the onions for about 45 minutes to an hour until they are dark golden brown, raising the heat carefully as they shrink and darken.

Once the onions are dark golden brown, pour the water into the saucepan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the sides and bottom.

Add the salt and pepper, and allow the soup to come to a simmer.

Cover the saucepan and let it simmer for a full 15 minutes.

Pour in the milk and let the soup slowly return to a simmer over medium heat, being cautious as it may split.

As soon as the soup starts to boil, take it off the heat to minimize splitting.

Prepare the baguette by ensuring it is stale; if not, dry it in the oven at a low temperature for about 30 minutes.

Set the stale baguette slices on the top rack of the oven at 400°F (205°C) for about 3-5 minutes on each side until well browned.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens