French Onion Soup is essentially caramelised onion in soup form topped with cheesy bread. The French are genius!
Caramelising onions calls for patience, but it’s worth it. You’ll be rewarded with deeply golden, intensely sweet onions that forms an incredible flavour base for this French Onion Soup. For an effortless option, see how to caramelise onions in a slow cooker!
THE ICONIC FRENCH ONION SOUP!
French Onion Soup is probably one of the most epic soups in this whole wide world. And yet, the soup itself is made with very few core ingredients: butter, onions, flour and stock/broth.
The magic is in the caramelisation of the onions, cooked slowly for at least 40 minutes. And of course the crowning glory – the glorious melted cheese toast!! Because let’s face it – French Onion Soup without the cheesy toast is just onion soup. Meh!
CARAMELISED ONIONS – STOVE OR SLOW COOKER
The caramelised onions are the star of the soup (well, on par with the cheesy toast). Making caramelised onions the classic way on the stove takes upwards of 45 minutes for a giant mound like we use for French Onion Soup.
It’s not high-stress or high-energy effort. For most of the time, the onions are cooked over low heat so you just need to stir them every now and then.
It’s the sort of thing that’s good to make while pottering around the kitchen doing other things. My cast iron pot is 24 cm / 10″ wide and it was full to the brim with raw onions and took almost an hour to caramelise. If you have a wider base pot, it will be faster – probably closer to 45 minutes.
Though of course, if this all seems like too much effort for you…… introducing….
SLOW COOKER CARAMELIZED ONIONS!!!
Yes. You. Can!!!
I first learned of this from a reader then found this recipe on TheKitchn. Terrifically convenient and totally hands off, just throw the onions in, drizzle with butter or oil then leave on low for 10 hours.
This will get you 75% of the way there. The onions are browned a bit but lack the same intensity of flavour you get from caramelising on the stove.
So you do still need to cook the onions on the stove for 10 – 15 minutes to achieve the same true flavour. And while one may wonder what’s the point, there’s a big difference between cooking down onions for almost an hour on the stove vs 10 minutes.
Plus, no having to man-handle a gigantic mound of onions in a pot that’s too small (me, me!).
THE REST IS EASY!
Caramelised onions aside, the rest of the soup is effortless. Get all the tasty brown stuff off the bottom of the pot by deglazing it with a touch of wine. A touch of flour to thicken the soup every so slightly, a LOT of broth, and an optional sprig of thyme and bay leaves.
GOOD BEEF BROTH IS A MUST!
If you use store bought, which I often do, use a good quality beef broth/stock. I personally do not recommend any of the mainstream brands sold in Australian supermarkets. I use Maggie Beer and Moredough from Harris Farms (I stock up when it’s on sale!), or private labels from butchers.
If you can’t get good quality beef broth, use chicken or vegetable instead. I find that the quality of those by mainstream brands is much better than the beef stock. The beef is fine to use in things like gravy and stews, but not when it’s a key ingredient like in this recipe.
DON’T HAVE OVEN-PROOF SOUP BOWLS?
Neither do I! Can’t justify the storage for ONE soup that calls for it. Sure, it looks thoroughly dramatic to be served a piping hot bowl from the oven with the entire surface covered in bubbling cheese (and a piece of bread under there somewhere).
But actually, I prefer making grilled cheese separately and popping them in the bowl because the bread isn’t as soggy from absorbing the soup by the time it gets to the table.
And lastly, a little tip – try the grilled cheese with your very own homemade Artisan bread. It is mind blowingly easy and has been wildly popular with readers since the day I shared it! – Nagi x
FRENCH ONION SOUP RECIPE
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 100 g / 3.5oz unsalted butter
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb brown / yellow onions , peeled, halved, thinly sliced top to bottom (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup (185ml) dry white wine , optional (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 1.5 litres / 6 cups / 1.5 quarts good quality beef broth./stock OR chicken , low sodium/salt reduced (Note 3)
- 2 dried bay leaves (or 3 fresh) (optional)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Cheesy Toast
- 6 – 8 slices French baguette or other softish bread (Note 4)
- 100 g / 3.5 oz gruyere or mozzarella cheese, or other melting cheese of choice
- Fresh parsley or thyme leaves , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Caramelise Onions (See Notes for SLOW COOKER option)
- Melt butter in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat. When it starts to foam, add onions and stir to coat in butter.
- 30 min on medium low: Turn heat down to medium low. Cook for 30 minutes stirring every few minutes, until the onions have softened and are semi transparent.
- Salt, 20 min on medium high: Turn heat up to medium or medium high. Add salt, and cook for a further 20 – 30 minutes, stirring more regularly, until onions are deep golden and sweet.
Make Soup:
- Deglaze: Add wine, then simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated, stirring to scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Flour: Sprinkle flour over the onion and cook for 1 minute.
- Add broth & herbs: Add broth, thyme and bay leaves.
- Simmer: Cover, lower heat so it’s simmering gently then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve: Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Top with 1 or 2 slices of cheesy toast.
Cheese Toast:
- Preheat grill / broiler to high.Toast each side of bread until light golden.
- Top bread with cheese, then grill until melted and some brown spots appear.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
COMPLETE YOUR FRENCH MENU!
Pan Fried Fish with Brown Butter Lemon Sauce (Totally French! Poisson meunière)
Garden salad with French Vinaigrette
Chocolate Mousse (classic French)
LIFE OF DOZER
I KNEW I’d find a use for those onion goggles one day! 😂 (I don’t need them, I wear contacts so I’m onion-proof. Gimme all the onions to chop!)
French Onion Soup recipe originally published in September 2016 as part of a Chasseur cast iron cookware giveaway. Since this time, the recipe has evolved (adding more flavourings – wine, thyme and bay leaves) so new photos, words and recipe video added!
Hi, my name is Elaine from Melbourne and I would love to win the White Chasseur casserole dish to compliment my other Chasseur pots I cook with. These are by far the most superior cookware I have ever used for flavour and washing up. I love to slow cook so would cook the coq au vin or lamb shanks which is a family favourite in my new Chasseur dish.
Keep the great recipes coming!
Hello from the USA! The coq au vin looks amazing!!! I’ve never tried making it but it’s always been on my list of must-try recipes. Maybe when I win my own little Chausser pot I will give it a go ? Either that or my husband’s favorite, braised short ribs.
Hi Nagi,
I live in Melbourne, Australia, and if I won your french oven I would attempt a perfect roast beef like my Mum’s. I know it sounds plain, but she cooks in a Chasseur oven and it is magnificent. No matter how I try, I can’t replicate it. I’m sure you understand! ?
Hello from Key West, Florida 🙂
I just happened upon your website looking for a shredded beef recipe and cannot wait to make tacos for my family this weekend!
If I won this contest, I would be truly ecstatic with either one, but I think I would get the most use out of the shallow casserole pot. The list of things I could make in it are endless, but I would begin, as only fitting, with your coq au vin…and maybe I’ll even invite my new French neighbors over for a true taste test.
Thank you for the plethora of fabulous looking recipes. I look forward to adding many of them into my regular rotation.
Hey Nagi, I live in Bedford in England, just a bit north of London. Your recipes are the best – always finding myself closing recipe books and having a look on here for a great meal!
First up on my list would be the one pot orzo/risoni bolognese – that looks incredible, but it’s something I just haven’t got around to making yet.
Thanks for doing this ace giveaway, good luck to all!
Hi Nagi, I’m Chan and I live in Illinois, USA. I would love to win the Chasseur cast iron casserole pot in Duck Egg Blue. It will be amazing if I can cook your Coq au vin recipe in it. Yum. Thank you.
From Massachusetts in the United States!!! So many things I would love to make in one of these pots. Let’s see, chicken and dumplings, my own recipe for Green Chili Pasta and maybe a nice roast with root veggies. With the cooler weather coming they would all warm our stomachs and the house. Love all of your recipes and love receiving the emails…………..Thanks Nagi 🙂
So many things I would love to make in one of these pots. Let’s see, chicken and dumplings, my own recipe for Green Chili Pasta and maybe a nice roast with root veggies. With the cooler weather coming they would all warm our stomachs and the house. Love all of your recipes and love receiving the emails…………..Thanks Nagi 🙂
Hi – Eric from Louisiana, USA – I think I’d have to crank out my first Fall gumbo!
Hi Nagi san
I would love to win blue one 😀 I am from Brisbane, Australia. I have just made Hayashi Rice. That will be great for Hayashi rice.
Hi Nagi! Lovin your recipes all the way over in Northwest Territories, Canada. First thing I would try would be the Coq au Vin recipe, it looks incredible! And I would be honoured to own either one of those beauties 🙂
OOO LaLa!! I am Karen from Bradford, Massachsetts and I would cook beef bourguignon a la Julia! Lovelovelove your site! I especially love the pictures of the food and the winsome way you write about the food and its recipe! Thank You!!
Hi Nagi, always dreamed of having a chasseur set….first thing I would make would be homemade baked beans
Hi, my name is Kt, and I live in America, Washington State. I would love one of these pots, so many things to make such as Guinness Stew, Coc Au Vin, White Bean Chili or even Chicken Masala. Rest assured that it would get plenty of use in my household. We love to cook in my family. I’ve been enjoying your recipes. The light blue oven would be great.
Greetings from Sacramento – I would love to try my hand at the coq au vin in the Chasseur, but I suspect anything I cooked would be fantastic in such a beautiful pan. (-:
Bon appetit!
Hi Nagi, my name is Simona, and I am from Slovenia, Europe. I would be over the moon if my name was drawn as winner of one of the Chasseur pots, and the first thing I would make in the casserole pot would be Coq au Vin, because yours looks so deliscious!
Hi Nagi, I am Agnes and is from Massachusetts, USA. I would love to have the Chasseur Shallow Casserole. I would try the Spanish Paella once I receive the prize. I love your blog and the details of your recipes help me a lot. I also love your mother’s recipes too. Thanks again.
Hi Nagi. My name is Simone and I live in Vancouver, Canada. My family and I love your recipes. Thank you for making many night’s dinners wonderful! As a “Guinness a day” gal, I would make the Beef and Guinness stew…or maybe a few.
Thank you!
I live in the United States. The first thing I will make will be the Guinness Stew. which is delicious. But I plan on making many more slow cooked recipes.
Thanks for this chance to win the Chasseur cast iron casserole pot!
P.S. thanks for the recipes.
Hi Nagi My name is Ester Duff and I live in Davis, California and
The First recipe I would cook would be the French Onion Soup in my new Chasseur Cast Iron Casserole Pot. Its My husbands favorite soup. He orders it anytime a restaurant has it on the menu.
Then it would be the Cou au Vin. It looks sooo delicious in your pictures and of course it has my favorite liquid in
the recipe (WINE).
Thank you and Good Day!