This classic French Onion Soup recipe is made with perfectly caramelized onions, toasted french bread and two kinds of melted cheese on top!
There is nothing better on a crisp, cold day than a bowl of rich French Onion Soup. This recipe is for traditional french onion soup – the kind that has the crunchy bread and gooey cheese melted on top. It’s not exactly healthy, but definitely worth the spurge.
The secret to the best soup french onion is in the caramelized onions. The onions are what makes this soup! And it’s the best way to pull all of the rich flavor out such a humble ingredient.
Secondly, the flavor of the broth or stock will make or break this soup. There is a lot of variety when it comes to the flavor of broths. Choose one you like and even enhance the flavor by adding a few bouillon cubes or a teaspoon or two of Better Than Bouillon. I use this to make my own beef broth rather than keeping boxes of broth on the shelf.
Ingredients to make French Onion Soup
- Onions
- Butter
- Garlic
- Beef Broth
- Sherry – using sherry (or wine) is optional. If you don’t want to add any alcohol, use a little broth to de-glaze the pan instead.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Thyme
- Parmesan Cheese
- Provolone Cheese
- French Bread
Caramelizing Onions
Caramelizing the onions is an easy process, but will take a little time. If you’re using a mix of onions, including white or yellow, plan on an extra 10 minutes for the onions to fully brown. For red onions, allow about 30 minutes of cooking time. The onions need to be stirred every 3 to 5 minutes so you’ll need to plan on staying in the kitchen while the onions are cooking.
How many calories in french onion soup?
The calories in Classic French Onion Soup will vary according to the recipe. French Onion Soup made using this recipe and ingredients has 766 calories per bowl. Just the soup, with no added bread or cheese has just 270 calories per bowl.
Can french onion soup be frozen?
Yes, it can. Let soup cool to room temperature. Transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1 to 2 inches of space at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before re-heating.
Classic French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 cups sliced onions yellow, red
- 1 tsp minced garlic 2 cloves
- 7 cups beef broth low sodium
- 2 tbsp cooking sherry optional
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 4 ounces provolone cheese 8 slices
- 8 slices french bread
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, stirring to coat with butter. Cook onion until soft and caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the sherry, stir and scrape bottom of pan for brown bits, and cook until sherry is evaporated. Now, add the beef broth, thyme and worcestershire sauce.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and lower heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper
- Toast the french bread slices. Preheat oven broiler on medium setting or 350°F. Place the bread slices on a parchment lined baking sheet and broil until golden. Turn slices over and broil other side until golden. Add one slice of cheese to each bread slice and sprinkle evenly with parmesan. Return to broiler until cheese is melted and bubbling.
- To serve, ladle soup into bowl and float 2 provolone bread slices on top of each
- Alternately, under broiler, toast the bread on both slices. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Top soup with 2 toasts, then 2 slices of provolone and a dusting of parmesan. Place bowls on a baking sheet and heat under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbling.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Follow the recipe thru step 2. Transfer to slow cooker and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or Low 6 to 8 hours. When soup is done, resume recipe at step 4.
Chef Tips
Nutrition Facts
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