There’s something magical about a bowl of French Onion Soup. It’s the ultimate cozy comfort food that feels fancy, but it’s surprisingly easy to make! This rich, flavorful soup is all about the slow-cooked, caramelized onions and that irresistible blanket of melted cheese on top. Seriously, who can resist a toasty piece of baguette swimming in cheesy, oniony goodness?
The secret to perfect French onion soup? Patience. Caramelizing the onions low and slow is what gives the soup that deep, rich flavor. The onions cook down to a beautiful golden-brown, releasing their natural sweetness while absorbing all the delicious beefy broth. Trust me, the time it takes is SO worth it!
A Little Sciencey Fun 🔬: When you caramelize onions, you’re creating a magical process called the Maillard reaction—it’s what gives the onions their rich, deep flavor and color. The sugars in the onions break down and become sweeter as they cook, which is what makes French onion soup so incredibly flavorful. It’s food science at its best!
And of course, the pièce de résistance: the cheesy, bubbly top! A crusty baguette slice smothered in Gruyère cheese, broiled until golden and melty—this is what dreams are made of, my friends.
Perfect for chilly nights or when you just want to treat yourself, this French Onion Soup is the cozy hug you’ve been waiting for.
I believe Julia Child uses combination of wine and cognac. I simply use wine. But feel free to replace 1/4 cup of wine with cognac, if you have it on hand.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven/pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions and cook until softened and translucent. This will take about ten minutes.
Add sugar and salt. Brown the onions, but do not burn, until the are golden/walnut colour. Ensure to stir from time to time to prevent scorching as well as scrape up any fond that forms on the bottom of the pan - this is where your flavour will be coming from. This process will take between 25 and 40 minutes.
Heat beef stock in another pot.
Let's deglaze the pan. Pour 1/4 cup of wine over the onions and stir making sure to scrape up all of that delicious brown fond. Let the wine bubble away until fully evaporated.
Sprinkle the flour over onions and cook for 3 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
Add a cup of the beef stock and stir vigorously. Add another cup and continue stirring. The stock should be added gradually to ensure the flour is well incorporated.
Add the rest of the stock and remaining cup of wine, bring to simmer, cover loosely and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. If the soup ends up reducing too much, more stock or water could always be added. Taste the soup and if necessary, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
You may divide the soup among ovenproof bowl, top with toast and cheese and broil. If you don't have ovenproof bowls, simply broil your toast and cheese separately and place on top of your soup, portioned individually between bowls. Serve immediately.
This soup stores exceptionally well in the fridge, and if anything, the flavour is more rich and pronounced the next day.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven/pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions and cook until softened and translucent. This will take about ten minutes.
Add sugar and salt. Brown the onions, but do not burn, until the are golden/walnut colour. Ensure to stir from time to time to prevent scorching as well as scrape up any fond that forms on the bottom of the pan - this is where your flavour will be coming from. This process will take between 25 and 40 minutes.
Heat beef stock in another pot.
Let's deglaze the pan. Pour 1/4 cup of wine over the onions and stir making sure to scrape up all of that delicious brown fond. Let the wine bubble away until fully evaporated.
Sprinkle the flour over onions and cook for 3 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
Add a cup of the beef stock and stir vigorously. Add another cup and continue stirring. The stock should be added gradually to ensure the flour is well incorporated.
Add the rest of the stock and remaining cup of wine, bring to simmer, cover loosely and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. If the soup ends up reducing too much, more stock or water could always be added. Taste the soup and if necessary, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
You may divide the soup among ovenproof bowl, top with toast and cheese and broil. If you don't have ovenproof bowls, simply broil your toast and cheese separately and place on top of your soup, portioned individually between bowls. Serve immediately.
This soup stores exceptionally well in the fridge, and if anything, the flavour is more rich and pronounced the next day.
