French Onion Soup
French Onion Soup is one of my all-time favorite soups! It’s beefy, it’s brothy and it’s ooey gooey cheesy! I prefer it a little less onion heavy and more brothy, it’s also not as filling that way if you’re serving it as an appetizer before a meal. This recipe can always be adjusted by adding an extra onion if you prefer more onions.
French Onion Soup is one of those soups when I see it on a cold fall or winter day and I’m deciding what to order at a restaurant, I will choose it! Sometimes I just pair it with a small side salad because it can be like an entire meal, in and of itself. I recently read that adding a splash of apple cider vinegar really wakens up the soup and so I had to try it. Turns out, the addition of a small amount of acid, like in so many other dishes, really wakes up the flavors and can take a flat soup into something spectacular and you can’t even taste that it’s in there. Since I also really want a robust beef flavor, I added a few other secret ingredients; soy and Worcestershire. I find that they add another layer of depth to the soup and it’s how I’ve made it my own. I hope you enjoy it!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Course
Appetizer
Cuisine
French
Servings
6 servings
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
2-3 large yellow onions, sliced
½ Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
2 bay leaves
Slurry – 1 Tbsp. flour, 3 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 cup white wine, such as chardonnay
6 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Crostini rounds
Shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
1. In a large dutch oven, heat to medium, add equal amounts of extra virgin olive oil and butter, allow to heat, and add sliced onions. Add salt and pepper, stir to combine, and cover with a lid for 5 mins.
2. Remove lid and allow onions to cook until they start to brown sightly, stir. Add minced garlic, fresh thyme, and bay leaves. Once they begin to brown, lower heat to medium low and repeat the process until onions are translucent and sweet, 30-40 mins.
3. Make a slurry of sherry & flour, whisk, and add to the onions. Cook for 2-3 mins.
4. Add wine, increase heat to medium and simmer until reduced slightly, 3-4 mins.
5. Add beef stock, soy and Worcestershire, simmer 15 mins. uncovered
6. Turn off the heat and add a splash of apple cider vinegar, stir to combine, and taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper if needed.
7. Preheat oven to 450F
8. Ladle the soup into oven proof bowls, be careful not to overfill. Add crostini rounds and shredded gruyere cheese. Place the bowls onto a baking sheet and place them carefully on the top rack of the oven for about 5 mins. until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and sprinkle with fresh thyme.
Notes
You can make your own crostini or use store bought, small rounds work best. You can use gruyere or another swiss cheese.