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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!
Ooh I would love to make a stew!
Canada
I am from Canada and I would make a seafood gumbo first.Love the weight of these pots.
I would make a really tomato-y beef stew- so good! Especially with some hot, crusty bread on the side. What better for a cold night?
I live in the United States.
I would love to try your recipe for French Onion Soup on one of the French Oven Pots.
Omg that duck egg blue is unbelievably beautiful. I’m in the USA and since we are heading into our fall season, I’m thinking something warm and comfy like a beef stew or chicken pot pie or even a fruit cobbler. Thank you for the contest!!!
We live in America (New Jersey)! My husband and I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE French Onion Soup, but we don’t have a good enough pot to make it in at home. Winning one of your French Casserole Pots would be perfect and just WONDERFUL to win and make this recipe with! (That way it would be a “double win” for us!)
Oooooh LA LA, these are stunning! I would make my grandma’s salmon casserole in my new shallow Chasseur pot! YUM 🙂
Cheers!
xoxo
Hi Nagi,
I’m from Canada. These kinds of pots have been on my wish list for a long time!
I think the first thing I would try cooking in one would be bread (as an experiment), or maybe a rice casserole – yay, carbs! 🙂
Thanks for the french onion soup recipe, by the way…
Hi Nagi!
I just love Le Chasseur pots and pans, they are so pretty so I would love to win the shallow casserole from Le Chasseur! I make a lot of risottos, but I only have small and sticky pans so I would definitively jump on the occasion to make a nice risotto! Mushroom risotto maybe!
I live in Melbourne 🙂
Cheers!
Hi, from Park City, Utah USA 🙂
So excited to make your rendition of the coq au vin recipe!! Would make it ASAP with those gorgeous new pots and then promptly make my 5 hour bolognese sauce! Thanks for the chance!
USA. Bothell, Washington. I would make a family favorite in that Dutch oven, Chicken Posole.
Hi Nagi!! 🙂 The French onion soup looks just right! Have always had a thing for this soup..barely any ingredients yet so hard to get it right. I’ve been trying to nail it..sadly the onions often end up getting a bit crispy on the sides..will try covering the pan like you suggested. I’m from India and a gastronomy student; I’d love to have one of these Chasseur Pots. They’d be perfect for a rustic Navarin Printanier, Dum Biryani and super slow Persian broths like Ash..things not easily perfected in normal stove tops. It’d be a quite esential thing to have. (:
I’m from Eastampton, New Jersey USA….. If I win the beautiful cast iron pot..I’m making Turkey, Kale and Rice Soup. Thank-you for your great recipes and this wonderful opportunity..
Australia. I would love to cook your French Onion Soup recipe if I won the Chasseur Cast iron Casserole Set.
Hi Nagi, sorry forgot to say , I am from the hunter valley in NSW Australia .Regards Jen McFarland
I would defiantly cook some Pozole or menudo! Warm and comforting and a great hangover cure!!!
I am from Chicago il. USA!
Hi Nagi, I could really tuck into a big bowl of that French onion soup right now! My mouth is watering!!! Really loving every single one of your recipes ,we must have the same tastebuds. I would be excited to cook any thing in a beautiful chasseur casserole pot ,always dreamed of one day owning one. I would definitely start with something traditionally French. It would be a delicious beef and black olive stew , cooked in lashings of red wine yummo ! Then I would love to follow up with my nans bread and butter pudding recipe, we’ll just pretend she’s French . Cheers Jen McFarland ps hugs to Dozer
Forgot that there is a Brisbane in the USA – I live in the Australian Brisbane!
I’m from Sydney Australia, and I can see myself making a nice slow cooked lamb stew. I can visualise the meat just falling away from the bone as it slowly cooks and fills the house with the smell of deliciousness. So much so that I have made myself hungry just thinking of the possibilities.
Hello Nagi, Thanks for holding this giveaway. In my Chassseur I plan to make a coq au vin using only chicken thighs as they have been priced very reasonably lately. I have a decent red standing by also.