French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

By Sara Bonisteel

Updated Feb. 28, 2024

French Onion Soup Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
5(6,319)
Notes
Read community notes

In 1954, what was then called the Food News Department of The New York Times released a pamphlet simply called “Soups,” which had 20 recipes for soups “thick and thin, hot and cold,” including those for minestrone, shrimp bisque and this French onion soup. We’ve updated the recipe adding sherry and wine to layer in more flavors. The bulk of the time is spent on caramelizing the onions, a process that always takes longer than it seems it should. But it’s worth the wait.

Learn: How to Make Soup

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 to 4large red or yellow onions (about 3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¾teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2quarts beef stock (8 cups)
  • 1cup dry white wine
  • 1tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 8 to 12(½-inch) slices French bread (from 1 loaf)
  • cups grated Gruyère cheese

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

397 calories; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 1216 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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French Onion Soup Recipe (2)

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

  1. Step

    1

    Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and ½ teaspoon salt, stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes. Remove lid and let onions caramelize until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. The caramelization process may take 45 to 60 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, warm broth in a saucepan over low heat.

  3. Step

    3

    Once onions are caramelized, add wine and sherry to the pot and allow mixture to come to boil. Stir in flour and let thicken for a minute or two.

  4. Step

    4

    Slowly add warm broth, ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper to the onion mixture and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

  5. Step

    5

    Heat the broiler, and arrange individual ovenproof casseroles on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into casseroles, and cover top with bread slices. Sprinkle each casserole generously with Gruyère.

  6. Step

    6

    Broil for a minute or two, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately.

Tip

  • You can prepare the soup through step 4 up to 2 months in advance. Thaw and reheat, then top with the bread and cheese and broil to serve.

Ratings

5

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6,319

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

diane

Simplify by making overnight caramelized onions. Fill slow cooker with 4-5 lbs sliced onions, pour 1/3 cup olive over the onions & mix well. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 7-9 hours. Yes it does indeed needs to be High. I had my doubts at first, but I've done this probably at least 20 times and the onions cook way down & caramelize beautifully. I haven't tried this yet with my new multi-cooker but plan to try that next using slow cooker function.

Gonzalo

1 Tbsp of Sherry is a very small amount, it won't add any significant flavour. Also, if Sherry boils for a long time, it completely loses its aroma. I suggest adding 2 tbsp on each individual soup dish just before broiling (that's the way people have fancy consomme in Madrid).

Elisa

Great and easy recipe. I suggest doubling the onions and mixing in some leeks. Also, since I don't have oven proof casseroles, I toasted the bread with the cheese on top (in toaster oven), and served on regular soup bowls.

lotsadogs

When I make French Onion Soup, I cut the bread into crouton sized pieces and then brown them in butter in a large skillet on the stove. I use them in place of the toasted bread. It makes the soup easier to eat--no cutting through hard French bread crusts with a spoon--and I really like the extra flavor imparted by the croutons. And, I save some croutons for the leftover soup.

Bri

I used vegetable stock plus a little soy sauce and a little bit of Worcestershire sauce instead of the beef broth to make it vegetarian. It was amazing! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.

Joanne

Toast bread first.

Gail

If you have it, use bacon fat rather than butter to carmelize the onions. Makes a huge flavor difference.

RES

This soup is marvelous, and perfect for a chilly day. I followed the recipe faithfully and used homemade beef stock. The hardest part for me was slicing those onions. My eyes were tearing so much, I had to put on a scuba mask to finish this step.

Gorney44

Great flavor but I’d say to double the onions.

Debbie

Loved this recipe. Finally somebody admits how long it takes to actually caramelize onions! The flavor is wonderful. I did cut the amount of beef broth to 6 Cups, because I agree with other cooks, there were just not enough onions to sustain 8 cups of broth. Next time I will double the onions.

Dennis

Several folks thought the amount of onions called for was insufficient. Note it says “ 3 or 4 large onions ( about 3lbs.). My onions were a little larger then a baseball and it took 9 to yield 3 lbs.

johonna

Delish and relatively easy. I took the advise of some posters here and added an onion and a leek. I also added a couple tablespoons of brandy with the wine and sherry, and some thyme with the stock. After all the stock was in, I let the soup reduce for 30 min. Oh, and I toasted the bread with butter under the broiler before adding to the soup. YUM!

Lori B

Broth and stock are used interchangeably in this recipe; they are not the same. Broth is made with vegetables, stock is made with just bones. I think the latter would be best here.

GamesDean

Don't get super hung up on the quantities in recipes. Treat it as more of a basic guideline with orderly steps. It's cooking, not science. This is a really good recipe for this soup. I just used the ingredients listed here in varying quantities and it was fantastic. I really, really, REALLY suggest making your own beef (or other) broth for this. Harris Teeter sells 2 lb. bags of beef bones. I used two bags, boil/rinse, roast, boil/simmer with shallots, garlic, thyme for 5 hours. Fantastic.

Lisa Kav

French onion soup is heavily dependent on using good broth. Do yourself a favor and make it. Great recipe.

Jaye C

French onion soup doesn’t have a lot of ingredients, but this is by far my favorite French onion soup recipe ever. Don’t change anything! Perfect as is!

Jaye C

French onion soup doesn’t have a lot of ingredients, but this is by far my most favorite recipe that I’ve ever tried. Don’t change anything! Perfect as is.

EMB

This recipe is fabulous, and so easy. I measured the onions as I sliced, and three pounds was perfect. Doing the bread and cheese in the toaster oven means the soup isn’t too hot to eat right away.

JRC

Outstanding! Took me back 50 years to my first meal in Paris as an exchange student. Only changed I made was to rub a slice of sourdough toast with garlic, top with cheese, and put in the bottom of the soup bowl (per Jacques Pepin); then added the soup, topped with more cheese, and baked in the air fryer at 375 for 15 minutes. The toast at the bottom thickens the soup wonderfully for a hearty gourmet meal. Definitely use good (preferably homemade) stock and quality cheese.

Deb

Oh my goodness, this rivals any restaurant French onion soup. I think homemade beef broth is a must, which is a 2-day project and a fair financial investment (gone are the days when you could get free soup bones from the butcher). I did use 6 cups broth instead of 8, which many posters suggested. I do not have broiler-safe bowls so I made large croutons from a baguette, grated some Gruyère over them and broiled until the cheese melted, then transferred them to the soup bowls. A memorable meal.

lynn

Made this with homemade beef bone broth and only white wine (no sherry). Used a mix of Parmesan and Gruyère and cut toasted baguette into hearts. My honey and I were transported to Paris!

kathy Flores

towards the end add a little sugar to the onions to help carmelize them

Craig Burdick

Be patient with the onions. The soup rivals anything at a steakhouse.

Beaner's Mom

Definitely follow the readers' advice to double the onions-although it took over an hour to properly caramelize them, but so worth it. Also recommend the reader recommendation to cut the bread into cubes and then toast in melted butter. MUCH easier than trying to cut into a slice of bread. I've made this with Appenzeller cheese and actually prefer it to gruyere or Emmentaler.

Beaner's Mom

Easiest way to avoid tears while slicing all those onions is to do so under your exhaust fan over the cooktop or range. If you got decent draw, its a breeze-

Quick And Easy

I halved the broth for a thicker soup and it was delicious. Gruyere is a must. Someone suggested toasting the bread first and they were right.

Barb

I followed the recipe to the letter - with exception of using only 5 cups broth and a little bit more sherry at the end. The results were outstanding - so much flavor!!! I utilized some of the great suggestions when slicing the onions - (1) I sharpened my knife before hand; (2) I held a matchbook match between my teeth for each onion; (3) Kept a wet cloth next to the cutting board. Note I also wear glasses - these 3 things in combo - worked perfectly - no tears!!! The

Evelyn

Delish! It’s very flavorful, big hit at my home this recipe is a keeper!

sally

Sooo… I read the directions wrong and added a cup of sherry and a cup of white wine. Still tasted really good. I would add the flour before adding the wine and sherry. And I also toasted the bread and broiled the cheese on the bread separately.

Mark

If you cook the onions in a closed slow cooker instead of an open pot or frying pan, you will simply end up with stewed onions, not caramelized onions. Ask me how I know. :-(

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French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

My personal go-tos include worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and brandy. Each deepens the flavor of french onion soup. Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce are other great options.

How do you get the bitter taste out of French onion soup? ›

Soaking the onions in cold water for 10 minutes before cooking can help to reduce the unpleasant taste and smell. Additionally, adding a pinch of sugar to the cooking onions can also help to reduce their pungent flavor.

Why is my French onion soup so bland? ›

If the onions are not cooked long enough or over low heat, they won't develop the sweet and rich flavor that is characteristic of this soup. Lack of seasoning: Seasoning is crucial in any dish, and French onion soup is no exception.

What's the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

What can I add to soup for depth of flavor? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says.

What spices add depth to soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor.

What if I add too much thyme to French onion soup? ›

You can add extra broth, water, milk, cream (depending on the soup's base) to “water-down” the thyme flavor. Adding a neutral grain, such as rice or beans will help absorb it too.

Can I use chicken broth instead of beef broth in French onion soup? ›

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.

Why do you add flour to French onion soup? ›

Onion soup, at its very essence, is nothing more than onions and water boiled together. Period, done, finished, everything added from that point on is pure opinion. Caramelizing the onions brings out sugars, and makes a more luxurious silky and sweet soup, adding flour gently thickens and provides body.

Is French onion soup for the poor? ›

Although onions were plentiful and affordable by the poor, a medieval recipe in Le Ménagier de Paris, published in 1393, includes among its ingredients ginger and saffron – rare and expensive spices – making this version of the dish one for wealthy households.

Why are my onions not browning for French onion soup? ›

A few reasons could be that you sliced them too thick or too thin. You haven't cooked them long enough. Your heat isn't at the right temp, use between medium and medium-low.

What broth is French onion soup made of? ›

This soup traditionally is made with beef stock, though sometimes a good beef stock can be hard to come by and expensive to make. If you use boxed stock, taste it first! If you don't like the taste, don't use it. (If you cook a lot of beef or beef roasts, save the scraps and freeze them to make a stock with later.)

Do people in France eat French onion soup? ›

It has even become a trendy dish that tourists are eager to try to experience French gastronomy. However, onion soup is in fact not part of French people's daily meals. It was originally meant to be eaten after a family reunion in the middle of the night to cure hangovers…

How do you doctor up canned French onion soup? ›

Fresh or dried herbs can also help elevate your French onion soup, with bay leaves, sage, and thyme all being typical additions. You may also want to add a smidgen of salt if the soup is too bland or even some sugar to better simulate the caramelized quality that those canned onions probably lack.

How do you make soup taste stronger? ›

Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.

How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

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