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Soup Season is Here – We’re Kicking it off with French Onion Soup
Soup season has officially commenced, and we’re kicking it off with an all-time favorite: French Onion Soup. This savory French Onion Soup is packed with flavor and topped with melty Gruyere cheese over bite-sized pieces of crispy sourdough toast.
I must admit, no matter what time of year it is, if French Onion Soup is on the menu – I’m ordering it. I love it when soups feel more like a meal, and the crispy bread and cheese that top this soup off take it to a hearty level.
I love this soup because it also comes together quickly with minimal ingredients – it doesn’t need to cook for as long of a time as other soups because of all of the amazing flavors that the caramelized onions bring when combined with a little wine, beef stock, and a few spices (that you probably already have at home!).
There’s More Than One Way to Make French Onion Soup
Did you know there’s more than one way to make French Onion Soup? My favorite thing about cooking is that it’s not prescriptive – following a recipe is nice, but after reading Salt, Fat Acid Heat (the bible if you’re looking to learn cooking basics), I realized that all is fair when you step into the kitchen – even classic recipes.
I’m an equal-opportunity French Onion Soup lover – I will switch up which onions I use in my soup depending on what flavor I’m going for… or just what I have on hand. In this particular recipe, I use sweet onions, but I also really love red onions! The sweet onions give the soup a classic savory flavor, while the red onions add a subtle, delicious sweetness – whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong!
Another way I love to customize this soup is with the wine I use to de-glaze the pot after caramelizing the onions. In this particular recipe, I use a combination of sweet onions and red wine, but again, that isn’t prescriptive, so you can really use whatever you want. I also love using red wine and red onions for a deeper, more robust flavor.
How to Make French Onion Soup
French Onion Soup is delicious, easy to make, and comes together with a few simple ingredients! Here’s how to make French Onion Soup:
Prep Your Ingredients: To make the cooking process as easy as possible, start by slicing up your onions, grating your cheese, and preparing your other ingredients since this dish moves relatively fast.
Caramelize Your Onions: In a cast iron pot over medium heat, melt your butter and olive oil together. Add in your onions and sprinkle them with salt and sugar to bring out the flavor and help them caramelize. Periodically stir for 10-15 minutes until your onions are fully cooked down/caramelized.
De-glaze and Create Your Soup: Once your onions are caramelized, add in your wine and stir it for a few minutes, and then add your beef broth and thyme. Taste test the broth and season with salt and pepper as desired.
Let Simmer: Allow your soup to simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Make Your Toast: While your soup simmers, turn the broiler in your oven on. Drizzle olive oil over 3-4 slices of sourdough bread and season with salt and pepper, then broil each side until crispy – this should take 2-3 minutes on each side (watch carefully since the broiler can easily burn your toast!). Allow to cool, then cut into chunks that will top your soup.
Assemble Your Soup: Once your soup has simmered and your toast is prepared, ladle your French Onion Soup into oven-safe bowls. Add your toast chunks to the top of each soup, and then cover the top of each soup with your shredded Gruyere cheese.
Broil and Serve: Once your soups are assembled, place them on an oven sheet and put them under the broiler for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly golden – indicating a little crispiness.
Serve and enjoy!
For details and visuals, check out the how-to video below. Enjoy your homemade French Onion Soup!
Ingredients:
- White Onions
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Butter (check out my recipe for homemade butter!)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Coconut Sugar
- Red Wine
- Beef Stock
- Fresh Thyme
- Sourdough of choice (I like to use whole-grain sourdough)
- Gruyere Cheese
French Onion Soup Recipe:
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French Onion Soup Recipe
Description
French Onion Soup is easy to make, delicious, and perfect for Fall!
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet onions (sliced)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt (plus extra for seasoning broth as desired)
- pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/3 c dry red wine (I used cabernet – you can sub white if preferred)
- 4 cups beef stock
- fresh thyme (3-4 sprigs)
- 3–4 slices of sourdough, toasted and cubed
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere Cheese
Instructions
- Slice up your onions
- Add your butter and extra virgin olive oil into a cast iron pot over medium heat and melt down together
- Add in your onions, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tbsp of coconut sugar and stir to coat the onions evenly
- Periodically stir your onions over medium heat allowing them to cook down and caramelize – this will take 10-15 minutes
- Once your onions are caramelized, add in your wine and stir for 3-5 minutes until it’s cooked down
- Add in your beef stock and fresh thyme, then cover your pot and allow to simmer for 15 minutes
- While your soup simmers, turn on your broiler to heat up. Drizzle your sourdough with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over the top, then broil on each side for 2-3 minutes until crispy
- Uncover your soup and taste the broth to check if it needs salt or pepper – season accordingly
- Ladle your soup into over-safe dishes and top it off with your toasted sourdough chunks and Gruyere cheese. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes until your cheese is melted and slightly golden and crispy on top. Serve with a fresh rosemary garnish on top
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings of soup
For more recipes like this one, follow me on social media at @dinneratallis!