Our delicious French Onion Soup recipe is made with caramelized onions in a rich beef broth. It's simple, authentic, and the perfect warm and cozy dish for winter.
Looking for more French cuisine? Try a Croque Madame, Potato Leek Soup, or a Monte Cristo Sandwich!
Why I love this soup:
Comforting – This classic French Onion Soup recipe is made with caramelized onions and beef stock then topped with toasted bread and cheese. It has a delicious sweet onion taste and it's irresistible on a chilly day!
Authentic – This recipe comes from our family friend who is a phenomenal cook, and lived in France. It's every bit as delicious as French Onion Soup I've enjoyed on my visits to Paris. Serve it as a main course with a simple green salad, or a side dish to Croque Monsieur, Croque Madame, or 40 cloves garlic chicken.
How to make French Onion Soup:
Caramelize Onions: Add butter and onions to a large pot and cook until they are softened. Pour in sugar and stir until the onions become golden brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
Add flour and cook for a couple more minutes. Add beef stock, wine, thyme, celery, and bay leaves then cook for 30 minutes.
Toast Bread: Brush the bread with melted butter and broil until toasted.
Sprinkle with Cheese: To assemble, place bread on top of a bowl of soup, sprinkle with cheese and broil until cheese is melted!
Recipe Variations:
- Croutons: Croutons are often used on top of French onion soup. If you don't want to bother broiling a baguette, they work great too.
- Vegetarian: Substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth along with 1 tablespoons of soy sauce. This will add a richness that will help mimic the richness of the beef broth.
- Vegan: Make the same substitution listed for Vegetarian, substitute olive oil for the butter, and use hemp seed crumble cheese and vegan gruyere.
- Gluten Free: Substitute gluten-free flour and gluten free artisan bread.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
- Make Ahead Instructions: The soup base can be made a day in advance, stored in the fridge. Wait to add the bread and cheese until ready to serve. Reheat the soup on the stove, and then ladle into oven-safe bowls, add the bread and cheese. and broil.
- Freezing Instructions: Store the soup, without bread and cheese, in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. (The shredded cheese and bread may also be frozen separately).
More Classic Soup Recipes:
- Matzo Ball Soup
- Lentil Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Beef Noodle Soup
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Recipe
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds onions (about 3 large onions), thinly sliced
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 piece celery , just a small chunk, not the whole rib
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 slices French Baguette
- 4 Tablespoons butter , melted
- 2 cloves garlic , halved
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese* , fresh grated
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Caramelize onions: Add butter and onions to a large pot over medium heat. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until softened. Add sugar and continue to gently stir until onions become golden brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Careful to not let them burn! Maintain a medium to medium-low heat.
- Add the flour and cook for 3 more minutes. Add beef stock, wine, thyme, celery, and bay leaves. Cook partially covered for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toast bread: Arrange bread on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter on both sides. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping to the other side half way through. Remove from oven and rub a cut clove of garlic onto each piece of bread.
- Broil: Turn oven to High broil. Remove bay leaves and the piece of celery from the soup and ladle soup into 4 oven proof bowls. Place the toasted bread on top of each bowl. Depending on the size of your bowls you may need two slices of bread. Sprinkle the tops generously with both types of cheese. Broil until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
Notes
- Cheese: Could substitute Swiss.
- Make Ahead Instructions: The soup base can be made a day in advance, stored in the fridge. Wait to add the bread and cheese until ready to serve. Reheat the soup on the stove, and then ladle into oven-safe bowls, add the bread and cheese. and broil,
- Freezing Instructions: Store the soup, without bread and cheese, in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. (The shredded cheese and bread may also be frozen separately).
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe November 2016. Updated February 2020 and February 2024.
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Very first recipe of Laura’s that will not be my favorite. It just doesn’t have the punch that my NYT recipe has always is the best! Putting celery in onion soup was bizarre for me but I did add it, no notable taste. Won’t be making this recipe again 😔
I have tried other other French Onion Soup recipes but this is the best! Delicious! Oh my goodness, easy to make , flavorful. I will try freezing the leftover for another special night!
This is an outstanding recipe. My whole family enjoyed it – and I am the only person who actually enjoys French Onion Soup to begin with. Just a few tips I found helpful:
1.) I used my All-Clad Stock pot, like I do for most soups and dishes like this. After I added the flour, it was difficult to keep it from sticking to the pot. So, I actually added the wine first to scrape up the roux – plus, this helped cook off the alcohol.
2.) I am sure beef stock would offer a stronger flavor (and it’s not hard to find recipes for both stock and broth), I used Wegman’s Organic Low-Sodium Beef Broth. I felt it gave a very solid flavor.
3.) I let it simmer for quite some time as I was also making Croque Monsieur.
4.) Absolutely grate your own cheese. We shredded mild Gruyère and grated fresh Parmesan. Worth the time, for sure.
Thought it would actually be from scratch, as the broth is probably the most important part of the dish.
Soooo good. Once the prep work is done – and a mandolin makes short work of those onions — it comes together in a snap. I followed the recipe pretty much to the letter except i replaced the 1/2 cup of wine with 1/4 cup of wine and 1/4 cooking sherry; and i used an extra dab or three of butter when caramelizing the onions because…well, it’s BUTTER. I also added a shake or two of Worcestershire sauce for a little more depth. And I heeded Lauren’s advice and bought the ridiculously expensive blocks of Gruyere and Parm and grated it myself. I even tossed a bit of both into the soup as it was cooking. As good or better as any restaurant soup. Try it. And thanks for the recipe, Lauren!
What kind of onions? Sweet, yellow, white?
I used sweet onions! Excellent.
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe! It’s a bit of work, but so worth it. Wonderful!