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!
Morning Nagi,
I believe I would love to try this french onion soup recipe in a brand new Dutch oven, or a creamy chicken pot pie in the shallow Casserole. Both would be good to fight off the chilly nights that we are starting to have. I live in Colorado, USA.
Good morning Nagi! I live in Oregon in the USA. I think the first thing I would make is my mother’s pot roast recipe that uses good red wine, lots of onions and some delicious boneless chuck roast cooked to perfection!
Hiya
I’m from England.
First thing I would cook is a nice slow Beef stew (Boeuf bourguignon) as it is a family favourite.
Cheers
LOVE GETTING ALL THE DELICIOUS RECIPES! I JUST PRINTED YOUR FRENCH ONION SOUP. GONNA GO TO THE STORE FOR ONIONS AND CHEESE AND COME HOME TO COOK IT. PLEASE RANDOMLY DRAW MY NAME FOR THE AWESOME COOKWARE. I’M FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, USA
Greeting Nagi from England and thank you again for all this wonderful food.
If i won the deep dish I would first make my favourite beef stew on day one and let it rest overnight. Followed by a loaf of No Knead Bread to be baked in the same pot the next day (check it out if you haven’t heard of it, it’s a miracle). Then sit and enjoy.
Sadly I became detached from my deep dish recently (don’t ask). Although I have purchased the shallow dish on your recommendation to make the baked honey mustard with pots and bacon (which I love) I’m sure I’ll find a good home for it!.
Thanks again
Stephen
Hello!! I live in California (USA) I would make this onion soup first – It looks delicious!
I can’t wait to try this lovely onion soup recipe. Onion soup is one of my husband’s favorites. I usually make it for his birthday. The first thing I would make in my pot would be chile. That’s my husband’s second favorite. His birthday has already passed this year.
If I won I would make guiness stew, one of my favorite comfort foods, especially on a cold winters day in Canada!
I live in the United States and the first thing I would like to make in this beautiful pot is peasant bread.
Hi Nagi
I love in Sydney, Australia. First thing i would mske is your fantastic Mexican Shreaded Beef – still my favourite one of your recipes, although there are so many amazing ones it is very hard to choose!!! Cheers
would want to cook mac and cheese in my new dish
Just made French Onion Soup last night, before finding your recipe in my Inbox…! I would love to try it again in a fancy, new Dutch/French oven 🙂
Love your blog!!
From beautiful British Columbia, Canada
Hi Nagi,
I’m confused. How do I enter the Chasseur giveaway? I just see the conditions, not how to enter.
Thanks for your help!
-Christine
Hiya! This is my first visit to your site, the French Onion recipe brought me to it! Love the commenting and write up!
My first meal would have to be a crab stuffed chicken in a mushroom thyme wine sauce. I’ve been dying for one of these casserole dishes!!
Xo
Melissa
Oh and I live in the US!
I’m from Quebec, Canada and would make a “cipate” – a traditional French Canadian dish made of game meats, potatoes and pie dough in 6 layers (thus the name…) – cooked very slowly in a Dutch (French!) Oven (which I do not have).
Good luck to me 🙂
Hello Nagi,
I live in Prague in the Czech Republic and I just promised my fiance to cook this soup on the weekend. He loves onion soup, particulary something he calls Five onions soup 🙂 If I win thats what I will make, but will have to find the recipe first 🙂
I love your blog, made a few things and loved it, so thank you for being here for all of us who love the great food.
Hi, Nagi. Lisa here from the good ol’ US of A! First, I am going to try this amazing French Onion Soup. Then, my favorite pot roast recipe from the old Fannie Farmer Cookbook. I’ve been making it in the crock pot forever, and can’t wait to try it in this Dutch (er… I mean FRENCH) oven!
Hi! I live in Florida and would love to make Beouf Bourguignon in one of your wonderful Chasseur pots.
That would be a “dream come true” for me.
Hello, Nagi!
I live in Belarus. The first thing I would cook is One Pot Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole.
Thank you for your recipes.
I live in Toronto, Canada. I would do a lamb shank dinner for the gang along with the Onion soup…keep up the great work and thanks for the recipes!