This recipe for French Onion Soup is anything but basic. The onions are perfectly caramelized to the point that they almost melt in to the soup. The recipe calls for both red and white wine (I mean, why not?), offering depths of flavor. The perfect meal to keep on your stove top all day long on the approaching chilly days.
Cozy & Comforting Soup
Nothing beats a hot bowl of soup on a chilly, dreary day.
And, as some may argue (my husband included), nothing – I repeat NOTHING – beats a bowl of French Onion Soup. Seriously. Even on a 95 degree day, my husband will be “that guy” ordering French Onion Soup. What the actual heck.
So, in an effort to be a good spouse, I have dedicated myself to finding the perfect French Onion Soup recipe.
I know. It’s exhaustive, terrible work.
And, unsurprisingly so, I found it in Sarah Copeland’s, “The Newlywed Cookbook”. I talked about Sarah’s book in my post for Grown Up Mac & Cheese. Which if you haven’t seen that recipe – shame on you! Check it out now.
To.
Die.
For.
But back to this French Onion Soup, mmmmmk?
The onions are perfectly caramelized to the point that they almost melt in to the soup. They’re sautéed for close to an hour – so please, plan accordingly.
I made this batch on a cold and rainy Sunday – and let it cook all day. Holy man – if you take anything from this recipe, it should be this: the longer your soup cooks, THE BETTER.
Above all else, this recipe has white AND red wine in it. I mean, hello? What are you waiting for?
Some recipes for French Onion Soup can be so salty. Not that I don’t love a good bowl of soup that makes my fingers swell up, but let’s be responsible adults here, ok? The depth of flavor that you gets from slowly caramelizing the onions, along with the wines reducing, is pure MAGIC. The more we tucked in to these bowls of soup, the more we said, “This just keeps getting better”!
Give this recipe a try. I can say from experience – none of Sarah’s recipes ever do!
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter,
- 4 arge yellow or Vidalia onions (about 2 lbs), thinly sliced
- A few sprigs of thyme
- 1 Garlic clove, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups beef broth
- 1 demi baguette, sliced into 6 - 3/4 inch slices
- 1/3 cup red wine
- Pinch of sugar
- 12 oz grated Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep brown and caramelized , about 40 minutes.
- Add the garlic and bay leaf and continue to cook another 8 minutes, seasoning with the salt (up to 1 tbsp) and pepper as you go.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the white wine. Bring the wine to a boil and cook until about half evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and decrease the heat to medium. Simmer the soup until it is fragrant and just a touch thickened, about 40 minutes.
- During the last 10 minutes of cooking the soup, preheat the broiler to medium-low and toast the baguette slices.
- Pull the thyme and bay leaf out of the pot and stir in the red wine and a pinch of sugar.
- Arrange six ovenproof bowls on a rimmed baking sheet and divide the soup among the bowls. Top each bowl of soup with a slice of toasted bread and sprinkle the Gruyere over the top. Place the baking sheet with the bowls on the top oven rack.
- Broil until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes (Don't broil them too long or the fat will separate out the cheese and become oily). Carefully transfer the bowls onto plates and serve bubbling hot.