French Onion Soup

This French Onion Soup is the ultimate comfort dish—rich, savory, and topped with cheesy golden bread. With deeply caramelized onions, a flavorful broth, and melty cheese, it transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-worthy classic perfect for cozy nights or impressing guests.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 20

Total Time 1 40

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: French

Calories: 360

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Soup Base

100 g unsalted butter
1.25 kg yellow or brown onions peeled, halved, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dry white wine optional, for deglazing
2 tbsp plain flour
1.5 litres beef or chicken stock preferably low-sodium
2 dried bay leaves or 3 fresh
3 sprigs fresh thyme optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Cheesy Toast

6-8 slices French baguette or other crusty bread
100 g Gruyère cheese or mozzarella, shredded
Fresh parsley or thyme leaves for garnish (optional)

Method

Step 1: In a heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, stir to coat, and cook 30 minutes until softened. Raise heat, season with salt, and cook another 20–30 minutes until deeply caramelized.
Step 2: Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes until reduced.
Step 3: Sprinkle flour over onions, stir, and cook 1–2 minutes. Slowly add stock, stirring. Add bay leaves and thyme. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
Step 4: While soup simmers, toast bread slices. Top with grated cheese and broil until melted and bubbly.
Step 5: Season soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with cheesy toasts, and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

For vegetarian soup, use vegetable stock. If skipping wine, deglaze with stock instead. Caramelize onions slowly to avoid bitterness. Try Swiss, Fontina, or cheddar as cheese alternatives. Soup (without bread) freezes up to 3 months.