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 Nagi.
I’m from Broome in Western Australia. Love your recipes and weekly themes. If I won I would be doing a fabulous CHILLI MUD CRAB served with lovely fluffy rice.
Shannon
Hello! I’m from the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. I would be a copycat and make that delicious-looking French Onion Soup. French Onion Soup is one of my fall favorites 🙂
I’m from Canada and I would love to cook the French Onion Soup in the French (Dutch) Oven. For many years now my daughter requests French Onion Soup as part of the Christmas Eve Dinner. She hates when I try other French Onion Soup recipes but yours looks richer then mine. Going to try it out this weekend in my Dutch Oven.
Hi Nagi, I’m from the U.S. and the first thing I would cook is the Coq au Vin. I can’t wait to see the recipe. I love your photos. They make my mouth water. Thanks, Donna
I can’t decide between lamb shanks or short ribs and will probably have something different in mind if I win one. I live in Florida.
Hi Yvonne here from Perth West Australia. I would cook a braised lamb shank and red wine dish to begin with. There would be many many more dishes with a beautiful Chasseur pot on show every day.
Hi, Nagi! This is Stephanie from Ohio. Thanks for your delicious recipes and fun posts. What beautiful cookware. If I had one of these, I would ask my retired husband to make beef stroganoff – next to some great bread recipes, it is his favorite specialty.
Cheers and good luck to all!
Hi Nagi,
I am Jeremy from fildalgo island.
I find that when I make stuffing for turkey the bird is simply not big enough to feed the masses.
The Dutch oven works as a great big Bird with lots of yummy leftovers.
I’m in the US. I’d make baked beans if I won one of these gorgeous pots
Greetings Nagi from the South (US), South Carolina to be exact. The first thing I would make in one of those lovely pots, is my Beef Stew.
Always look forward to your recipes.
Hi Nagi,
I’m from country Victoria in Australia and I would make Red Wine and Rosemary Lamb Shanks with products fresh from my farm 🙂
Hi!
I’m from South Australia. If I was lucky enough to win one of the prizes, the first thing I would cook is slow cooked lamb shank in red wine sauce! Perfect meal to warm up with in this cold weather!
I would make a pot of Dum Gosht or some other wonderful Indian curry.
If I win I’ll have it shipped to my sister so it can be waiting for me when we get back from overseas. Wouldn’t that be fun?
USA
Hi Nagi,
Despite living out in the Central Wheatbelt of WA I have managed to cooked quite a number of your dishes – getting fresh supplies entails a deliberately planned trip into town.
With one of your prizes I would indulge in a curry, I make my own curry concoction and currently use a cast iron pot.
Regards,
Neil
Merci beaucoup to Manu Feildel for the recipe and you for posting it! Fantastically simple if one has really good stock and is patient with the onions! Well, you know I ‘bother’ you from the Southern Highlands of NSW . . . and out of dozens of recipes which promptly crowd my head methinks I would reach for lamb shanks and cook them in the osso buco way . . . hope that makes sense 🙂 ! Oh what beautiful pots to have in my dreams!! [I can clearly see white and shallow 🙂 !]
Hiya Nagi,
Juliet from California! I would love to make this delecious French onion soup in that fabulous Dutch oven! Oh how dreamy! Until then I’ll be salavating all over this post.
I live in the Southwest United States. I love to get your recipes. Cannot wait to make a nice hearty beef stew as the weather cools.
Hello Nagi! Love your recipe’s. I;m from the U.S. and the first thing I would cook would be a Moroccan braised chicken with warm spices on couscous!
I’m from Framingham, Massachusetts, USA and I love following you on Instagram. Some of your recipes have become my family’s favorites! I’d love to cook your French Inion Soup in that beautiful Dutch, er, FRENCH oven.
I live in Albuquerque, NM and would love to try the French Onion Soup recipe…it looks much heartier than the recipe I have! Thanks for the opportunity!