Luxuriously self-indulgent, this rich and comforting French Onion Soup is best enjoyed on a chilly day!
A bowl of this will warm you up from the inside out!
CAN FRENCH ONION SOUP ONLY BE MADE WITH YELLOW ONIONS?
Yellow onion are the best all-rounder onion for French Onion Soup but you can certainly use a combination of others, like yellow, red, white, and even shallots.
I find combining different types of onions results in a more complex broth. Always use what you have!
WHAT TO DO IF THE ONIONS OR PAN START TO BURN
Be careful not to scorch your onions. You don’t want the ends or bottom burning; this will lend a bitterness to the soup.
If you start to see the browned onion juices on the verge of burning, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, scrape the brown bits from the bottom, and continue cooking. Repeat this process as necessary.
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH FISH SAUCE?
It’s true, fish sauce is not a traditional ingredient in French Onion Soup. However, with that being said, I will always add a teaspoon because it adds so much flavor to the broth. Red Boat fish sauce is a great option to have in your pantry!
Trust me, you won’t be able to taste any hint of fishiness, but it lends an incredible depth of flavor!
All ingredients in this recipe are widely available at most grocery stores. I managed to find every single ingredient at Trader Joe’s, including the fish sauce!
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE RAINY-DAY SOUP RECIPES?
Take a peek at some of my favorite soups to make when it’s stormy outside.
2. Mulligatawny
3. Guinness Stew
4. Acini Di Pepe Soup
5. Vegetarian Borscht
French Onion Soup
Equipment
- 1 chefs knife
- 1 large stainless steel saucepan or large cast-iron skillet
- 1 Dutch-oven or pot
- french onion soup bowls or ovenproof bowls
- 1 baking sheet
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- 1 box grater
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 soup ladle
Ingredients
- 3 lbs yellow onions or a mix of sweet, red, white; sliced into ¼ "
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup dry white wine like sauvignon blanc
- 8 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 beef bouillon cube optional but suggested
- 1 tsp fish sauce trust me on this one
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 8 slices of rustic baguette 2 per bowl; adjust amounts based on number of servings
- 1 lb Gruyère grated; adjust amounts based on number of servings
- 2 tbsp fresh chives optional, for garnish; minced
Instructions
- In a large stainless steel saucepan or cast iron skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are rich golden brown color and tasting sweet, about 1-1½ hours. 1 hour into cooking, sprinkle onions with sugar and stir to coat. Continue caramelizing onions until golden brown. Season with kosher salt and pepper.See Notes for a tip on this step!
- Add garlic, stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits using a wooden spoon. Let the wine cook off a bit, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer caramelized onions and their juices to a Dutch oven or pot. Add beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, and bouillon cube; turn heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add fish sauce and apple cider vinegar; stir to incorporate. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Set a rack to the top position and turn on the broiler. Spoon a small amount of broth into an ovenproof bowl, then top with one of the toasts; sprinkle a small amount of freshly grated Gruyère overtop. Ladle more onion soup into the bowl until almost full. Add another piece of toast and top with a generous amount of cheese. Transfer bowl to a baking sheet and place directly under the broiler, until cheese is melted and browned in spots, just a few minutes.
- Remove the hot soup bowl from the oven and transfer to a plate. Be careful not to burn yourself! Top with minced fresh chives (optional). Serve hot!
