Classic French Onion Soup (Printable)

Savory French soup with caramelized alliums, rich broth, and cheesy toasted baguette topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Alliums

01 - 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
03 - 3 shallots, thinly sliced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Fats

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Umami

07 - 8 cups high-quality beef broth
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
11 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ Bread & Cheese

13 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
14 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
15 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Seasonings

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
02 - Add the sliced onions, leeks, and shallots. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft and deep golden brown, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
03 - Pour in the dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.
04 - Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf from the soup.
06 - Preheat the oven broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with toasted baguette slices and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese and Parmesan cheese.
08 - Place bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
09 - Remove from the broiler and serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh thyme if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of three different alliums creates layers of flavor that storebought versions can never match.
  • This is comfort in a bowl that somehow feels both rustic and elegant enough for dinner parties where Ive seen guests literally scrape the cheese from the sides of the bowls.
02 -
  • Dont rush the caramelization process, as those 35-40 minutes of slowly browning the onions create the foundation of flavor that defines this soup.
  • Oven-safe bowls are non-negotiable for that classic melted cheese crust, and I learned this the hard way when a beautiful ceramic bowl cracked under the broiler.
03 -
  • Add the garlic only after the onions have fully caramelized or it will burn and create bitter notes throughout the entire pot of soup.
  • For the ultimate cheese crust, let the soup cool just slightly before adding the bread and cheese, which prevents the bread from becoming too soggy before the cheese has time to properly melt and brown.
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