Classic French Onion Soup
Deeply caramelized onions in beef broth under a blanket of bubbling gruyère on toasted baguette. Paris bistro classic, achievable at home.
- Total time:
- 1 hr 15 min
- Servings:
- 4
- Per serving:
- 480 kcal
- Cost per serving:
- $4.10
- Difficulty:
- medium
Step-by-step
Melt butter with oil in a Dutch oven. Add onions, sugar, salt. Cook over medium-low, stirring every 10 minutes.
After 35–45 minutes onions should be deep mahogany. Patience pays here.
40 min timer
Add wine, scrape the bottom. Reduce 2 minutes.
Add broth, thyme, bay leaf. Simmer 20 minutes. Discard thyme stems and bay.
20 min timer
Toast baguette slices.
Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Top with toast, smother with cheese.
Broil 3 minutes until cheese bubbles and browns.
3 min timer
Cook's tip
Onions need real time to caramelize. Cranking heat scorches them. low and slow is the only way.
Storage
Refrigerate broth 5 days. Assemble fresh for crispy toast.
Freezer: Freeze soup base 2 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 18g
- Carbs
- 38g
- Fat
- 24g
- Fiber
- 4g
- Sugar
- 14g
- Sat Fat
- 13g
- Sodium
- 1320mg
Estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. See our nutrition disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
No gruyère?
Sub Comté, Emmental, or a sharp white cheddar. Avoid mozzarella. too mild.
Vegetarian version?
Use rich vegetable broth + 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tsp miso for umami.
Reviews
Marcus B.
1 week ago
First time cooking this and the timing notes saved me. Did not lift the lid once. The crust at the bottom was the best part.
✓ Would make again
Aisha K.
2 weeks ago
Loved it but added an extra scotch bonnet — we like it spicy. Recipe scales well, made a double batch.
✓ Would make again
Tola O.
3 days ago
Made this for Sunday lunch — the smoky bottom turned out perfect. Family demolished the pot in twenty minutes.
✓ Would make again
Reviews shown are illustrative pre-launch. Real user reviews appear here as the community grows.
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