Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (2024)

  • Comfort Food
  • Fall Soups
  • Onions
  • French

This is our most requested soup recipe of all time, and for good reason.

By

Elise Bauer

Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (1)

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated December 19, 2023

Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (2)

221 ratings

In This Recipe

The 30 Essential Soup Recipes for FallFEATURED IN:

Is there anything more comforting on a chilly day than a hot bowl of French onion soup? Especially with a thick slice of toasted bread loaded with melty Gruyere cheese and lots of caramelized onion.

Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (3)

How To Make the Best French Onion Soup

There are two essential components of a good French onion soup.

The first is the stock. Your soup will only be as good as the stock you are using. This soup traditionally is made with beef stock, though sometimes a good beef stock can be hard to come by and expensive to make.

If you use boxed stock, taste it first! If you don't like the taste, don't use it. (If you cook a lot of beef or beef roasts, save the scraps and freeze them to make a stock with later.)

Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (4)

The Secret Ingredient Is Time

The second most important element is to properly caramelize the onions. Caramelizing the amount of onions needed in this recipe will take at least 40 minutes. Caramelizing is a chemical process that occurs when the sugars in the onions reach a certain temperature.

This only happens after a long cooking time (the addition of a little extra sugar will help). The more caramelized, the deeper the color of the onions and the more flavor you'll get from them.

Alternatives To Wine

The recipe calls for dry vermouth or white wine as well as brandy, which is optional. If you prefer not to use any alcohol, many readers who made the recipe mentioned in the comments that they omit it altogether and it's still delicious.

Others mentioned adding some Worcestershire sauce at the end to give it an additional depth of flavor. If you omit the alcohol, you may want to add a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire, but it's not necessary.

If you do choose to omit the alcohol, use a half cup of the beef broth to deglaze the pan as instructed in Step 2 before adding the remaining stock in Step 3.

The Best Cheese To Use for French Onion Soup

Gruyere and Parmesan are the classics for French onion soup. However, if you don't have them, try these alternatives.

  • Gouda
  • Swiss
  • Fontina
  • Mozzarella

How To Store and Reheat This Dish

Store the soup—without the croutons—in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, bring to a boil on the stovetop. The croutons are best when made fresh.

How To Freeze French Onion Soup

This soup—without the croutons—freezes well. Freeze the cooled soup up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat by boiling on the stovetop. Make the croutons fresh.

More Warm and Cozy Soup Recipes to Try!

  • Butternut Squash Apple Soup
  • Instant Pot French Onion Soup
  • Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
  • Smoky Vegan Lentil Stew
  • Farro, Mushroom, and Spinach Soup

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

French Onion Soup

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time60 mins

Total Time80 mins

Servings4to 6 servings

Much of the success of this soup depends on the stock that you are using, and stock varies tremendously in its taste. Depending on your stock, you may need to bump up the flavor with some beef bouillon (we recommend Better Than Bouillon brand).

Ingredients

  • 6 large red or yellow onions (about 3 pounds)

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • Kosher salt

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 8 cups beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two

  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, OR 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

  • 8 slices (1 inch thick) French bread or baguette

  • 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

  • Sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese

Method

  1. Peel and slice the onions:

    Peel and thinly slice the onions from root to stem. There should be about 10 cups of sliced onions in total.

    How to Slice an OnionREAD MORE:

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (5)

  2. Begin caramelizing the onions with olive oil and butter:

    In a 5 to 6 quart thick-bottomed pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat with the olive oil.

    Cook the onions, stirring often, until they have softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

    Increase the heat to medium high. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to brown, about 20 to 40 minutes. The amount of time will vary depending on your pot, stove, and onions.

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (6)

  3. Sprinkle with the sugar, finish caramelizing, and add garlic:

    Sprinkle with sugar (to help with the caramelization) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook until the onions are well browned, about 10 to 15 more minutes.

    Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (7)

  4. Deglaze the pot with vermouth or wine:

    Add the wine or vermouth to the pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pot, deglazing the pot as you go.

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (8)

  5. Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme:

    Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes.

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (9)

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (10)

  6. Season and add the brandy:

    Season to taste with more salt and add freshly ground black pepper. Discard the bay leaves. Add brandy if using.

  7. Toast the French bread slices:

    While the soup is simmering, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven.

    Brush both sides of the French bread or baguette slices lightly with olive oil (you'll end up using about a tablespoon and a half of olive oil for this).

    Put in the oven and toast until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven.

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (11)

    Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (12)

    Turn the toasts over and sprinkle with the grated Gruyere cheese and Parmesan. Return to oven when it's close to serving time and bake until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

  8. Serve:

    To serve, ladle soup into a bowl and transfer one cheesy toast onto the top of each bowl of soup.

    Alternatively, you can use individual oven-proof bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350° F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned.

    Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
699Calories
26g Fat
84g Carbs
30g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories699
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g33%
Saturated Fat 10g50%
Cholesterol 43mg14%
Sodium 1727mg75%
Total Carbohydrate 84g30%
Dietary Fiber 5g16%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 8mg38%
Calcium 424mg33%
Iron 6mg34%
Potassium 1000mg21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Our Most Requested Soup Recipe Of All Time? This To Die For French Onion Soup! (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

What is the soup famous from France and New Orleans? ›

Turtle Soup made its way to New Orleans from England in the 1700s with clear broth and a bouillon base. It wasn't long until the French, Spanish, and Native people of New Orleans added their own touches to the recipe to create what is now known as Creole Turtle Soup.

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

How do you add depth of flavor to soup? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says.

Why is French onion soup so expensive? ›

First, French onion soup calls for a ton of onions. While onions aren't expensive, there's a lot of labor involved in halving, peeling, and slicing 10, 12, 50, or one billion onions (I don't know how much soup you make).

Why does French onion soup taste so good? ›

French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food. Onions get slowly cooked until sweet and caramelized, then simmered in rich broth until they're practically falling apart. To finish it off, toasted bread is added to give it that lovable crisp-gone-soggy texture and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese is melted on top.

How can I thicken my French onion soup? ›

The easiest way to thicken your French onion soup is with flour. You can also use cornstarch if you don't have any flour. Remember to never add the flour or cornstarch directly to the soup – otherwise you run the risk of it clumping.

What soup is famous in Louisiana? ›

Gumbo/Soups - Louisiana Cookin'

What is the national dish of New Orleans? ›

The iconic dish of New Orleans

Gumbo is rich in flavor and history. With roots in Western Europe, Africa, The Caribbean and Native American culture, the strongly-flavored stew is quite literally a melting pot of cultures. It consists of the Cajun holy trinity of vegetables - celery, bell peppers and onions.

How to make French onion soup less bland? ›

Most likely it could be from not caramelizing the onions long enough, as this is crucial for flavor development. Also, be sure to use a good quality broth and season the soup properly with salt and pepper. You can try adding a splash of balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce for a boost of flavor.

Why is my French onion soup so bland? ›

If you don't add enough salt, pepper, or other herbs and spices, the soup may taste bland.

How to doctor up canned French onion soup? ›

Some fresh rosemary or thyme brings a woody, peppery taste to the soup, complementing the umami flavor of the beef stock. With a splash of balsamic vinegar and green onions or fresh basil as a garnish, the canned soup is transformed from a grocery store original into a gourmet dish.

How do you make soup taste stronger? ›

You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.

References

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