This French Onion Soup is hearty, comforting and full of flavor. It’s prepared with beef broth and caramelized onions and topped with crispy bread and ooey gooey Swiss cheese. What’s not to love?
I’ve been seeing the most beautiful onions at our local farmers’ market and I can never resist buying a bunch. As a kid, I wasn’t the biggest onion fan, probably since my grandmother added them to everything and so the house always smelled strongly of them. Yet as the years have passed, I have come to love onions.
While all of my kids have craved them raw from the time they could chew (go figure?!), I much prefer mine cooked, whether it be simply sautéed or made into this tasty French Onion Soup. Plus onions are super good for you so it’s a win-win in my book.
Luckily I never have to twist my kids’ arms to get them eat onions, but when they’re cooked down to a buttery perfection in this French Onion Soup and topped with bread cubes and gooey Swiss it brightens my onion-obsessed kids faces to a new onion-loving level. Big time happiness! They could eat several bowls in one sitting of this!
Ingredients for French Onion Soup
- Yellow onions – You can technically use white or yellow onions, but to make it the traditional way you’ll need 3-4 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
- Butter – A good butter is the tastiest way to caramelize onions for French onion soup, but if you’re trying to avoid dairy you can use vegan butter or olive oil.
- Sugar – You only need a teaspoon of sugar just to help with the caramelization process.
- Beef broth – The classic base for french onion soup and so so tasty! You could substitute vegetable broth if you want this soup to be vegetarian.
- Worcestershire sauce, garlic, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper – These are all your main seasonings! Feel free to play around and add more of less of each if you prefer.
- Bread cubes – The best part of French onion soup is the crusty bread on top that soaks up all that delicious soup. I prefer French or ciabatta bread, but any crusty bread will work!
- Swiss cheese – The other best part of a good French onion soup.. the ooey gooey cheese on top. Feel free to use another type of cheese like gruyere if you want.
*Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions*
How to Make the Best French Onion Soup
- Begin to caramelize onions: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and salt and cook until onions start to turn golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
- Add spices, continue to caramelize: Add the garlic, sugar, thyme and bay leaf to the onions and cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Build the soup: Add the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Toast the bread: While the soup continues to simmer, heat the oven to broil. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Finish the soup: Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls. Top each bowl of soup with a handful of croutons and a handful of cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
French Onion Soup FAQs
- What kind of onions are best for French Onion Soup? Yellow onions are the most commonly used onions for French Onion Soup, as they have a slightly sweet and mild flavor that becomes rich and caramelized when cooked for a long time.
- Can I use a different type of cheese instead of Swiss? Totally! You can use other types of cheese, such as Gruyere or Parmesan or really mild cheese that you love.
- Can I make French Onion Soup in advance? Yep! You can make French Onion Soup in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days without the cheese or bread. When reheating, you may need to add more broth or water to adjust the consistency, then just broil the bread and cheese when you’re ready to serve.
- Can I freeze this soup? Absolutely! Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to three months. To reheat, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then heat it up on the stove.
- What’s the best way to cut onions for caramelization? Slice the onion in half and then cut think slices pole to pole. Make sure they’re uniform, but not too thin. About 1/4 inch thick is a great size for caramelizing.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crock Pot Lentil Veggie Stew
- Beef Stew in the Crock Pot
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
As always, let me know what you think of this recipe and tag me on social media if you make it! I love seeing weelicious recipes in the wild.
Images by Ivan Solis
Ooey-Gooey French Onion Soup
This French Onion Soup is hearty, comforting and full of flavor. It's prepared with beef broth and caramelized onions and topped with crispy bread and ooey gooey Swiss cheese. What's not to love?
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups (or 1 32 oz box) low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup bread cubes, french or ciabatta
- 1 cup grated swiss cheese
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onions and salt and cook until onions start to turn golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sugar, thyme and bay leaf and cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Add the stock and worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the oven to broil. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls. Top each bowl of soup with a handful of croutons and a handful of cheese.
- Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Notes
- What kind of onions are best for French Onion Soup? Yellow onions are the most commonly used onions for French Onion Soup, as they have a slightly sweet and mild flavor that becomes rich and caramelized when cooked for a long time.
- Can I use a different type of cheese instead of Swiss? Totally! You can use other types of cheese, such as Gruyere or Parmesan or really mild cheese that you love.
- Can I make French Onion Soup in advance? Yep! You can make French Onion Soup in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days without the cheese or bread. When reheating, you may need to add more broth or water to adjust the consistency, then just broil the bread and cheese when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1620mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @Weelicious or tag #weelicious!
