Incomparable French Onion Soup

There is very little in the soup world that compares to French Onion soup. At once both luxurious and comforting, there is something magical about the sweet, savory, umami bomb that is a steaming bowl of French Onion soup with a perfectly gratinéed toast point on top.

 

Since French Onion soup is little more than stock, onions, and toasted cheese bread on top, it’s the care you take that will make all the difference. You can’t make a truly exceptional onion soup without having rich stock (homemade really shines here, you will be amazed at the silky, rich texture from the gelatin that is present in homemade stock) as well as taking the time to be sure the onions have cooked down into very soft and brown caramelized gorgeousness. That requires time and attention.

The Stock

I’ve used chicken stock, beef stock, and a mixture of the two. Honestly, all three make for deliciousness but since I always have homemade chicken stock in the freezer, it’s my stock of choice. I’ll often use about a quart of homemade chicken stock and add store-bought chicken or beef stock for the second quart.

The Onions

I started making onion soup with sweet yellow onions, but my life was changed the day I started mixing up the onions. Sweet yellow onions on their own miss a little intensity. I now prefer to use a mix, sweet yellow or vidalia, red, and white onions, sliced thinly, all go into my pot. Somehow the soup keeps its lovely sweetness and richness, but it simply tastes more “oniony.” The trick with the onions is to slowly brown them in a good amount of butter or oil and give them time to get a rich amber color. A little sugar helps, just a pinch, as well as a splash of fortified wine. I’ve seen people do the onion caramelizing completely on the stovetop but a slow oven works as well if you want to multi-task.

The Toppings

I go classic here all the way. I prefer to toast baguette slices and top them with a ridiculous amount of Gruyère cheese. If I’m being really honest, I’ll admit that I often toast up extra baguette slices with cheese to dip/eat alongside as well!

The Recipe

This soup really is a breeze to make and people go nuts over it. I tend to make extra, freeze in little crocks or ramekins (without the baguette topping) so I can have a personal crock whenever the feeling strikes me. You’ll need a big soup pot for the basic soup and then oven proof bowls/crocks/ramekins that you can put under the broiler in the end to melt the cheese. If you don’t have oven proof crocks/bowls, you can simply broil the cheesy baguettes by themselves then float those toppers on your bowls of soup. I won’t judge.

Ingredients
Approx 2 lbs of onions – yellow, white, and red, sliced thinly. Depending on the size of your onions, that 8-12 in total
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
salt/pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp fortified wine (port, madeira, or marsala all work great)
2 quarts stock
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
fresh thyme sprigs and a bay leaf
3 tbsp cognac
a baguette cut into slices
10 oz grated/shredded Gruyère or swiss cheese – I tend to use way more, only you know how cheesy you like it:)

In a large soup pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat until melted and add the thinly sliced onions. Cook for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally until they are softened and starting to turn golden. Add the sugar, a pinch of salt, and the fortified wine and continue cooking/stirring until the onions are a rich amber color. This could take as little as 30 minutes or up to an hour.

Add the stock, white wine, thyme and bay (I usually tie these up with kitchen twine to fish out easier later.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer partially covered for 45 minutes to an hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Right before serving, stir in the 3 tbsp cognac, top with a toasted baguette slice and shredded cheese, then place under a broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve immediately, but be careful – these babies are hot!