FRENCH ONION SOUP! | Makin' It! | Brad Leone

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.

Preheat the pan on medium-high heat.

Slice 3.5 lbs of yellow onions thinly, following the natural petal lines, and cut shallots thicker.

Add half a stick of butter to the preheated pan and add the first wave of onions.

After a few minutes, add the second half of the onions and another quarter stick of butter.

Caramelize the onions for about 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.

Mince garlic using a microplane and add it to the onions along with fresh thyme, bay leaf, and tomato paste. Stir and let caramelize for a few minutes.

Deglaze the pan with Madiera wine and white wine, reducing it by half in about 1.5 minutes.

Add 2 quarts of beef stock to the pan, scraping the bottom to incorporate any caramelized bits.

Bring the soup to a hot temperature and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Slice the baguette and butter it, then toast the slices.

Rub the toasted bread with leftover garlic.

Grate Gruyere cheese in preparation for topping the soup.

Ladle the soup into crocks, ensuring a healthy amount of onions in each serving.

Place the toasted bread on top of the soup, draping it over the edges if desired.

Broil the crocks in a preheated pizza oven or regular oven until the cheese is bubbly and brown.

Garnish the soup with fresh thyme leaves and a crack of black pepper before serving hot.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens