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–+ servings
2 bowls of French Onion Soup with swiss cheese
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4.72 from 7 votes

Classic French Onion Soup Recipe

French Onion Soup is a classic soup with flavorful caramelized onions, a toasty baguette, and warm gooey cheese on top.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time5 hours
Course: Dinner, lunch, Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 696kcal
Author: Cyndy Ufkes ~ The Art of Food and WIne

Ingredients

Soup Instructions:

  • ⅓ cup butter
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 lbs white onions
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • 96 oz beef broth, (3-32 ounce containers)
  • ⅔ cup flour
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp mild paprika
  • 1 cup white wine
  • ¼ cup red wine or Sherry
  • 2-3 bay leaves

For Baguette Crouton

  • 8 slices French or sourdough baguette
  • ⅛ cup extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded, optional

Topping for Soup

  • 12 oz Swiss or Gruyere cheese, shredded or thinly sliced

Instructions

Preparing the Soup Broth

  • Peel and slice the onions in rounds about 1/8" thick.
  • In a large heavy-bottom stockpot or Dutch oven, add the olive oil and melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add the onions, separating the rings a little bit as you add them to the pot. Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon salt.
    Turn the heat to low and saute the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 90-minutes to 2 hours. The onions should be super soft and caramelized to a medium colored brown.
  • Add remaining 1½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and paprika to the onions and cook for about 1 minute.
  • Turn the heat back up to medium. Mix flour and about 2 cups of broth together in a small bowl and stir into the onions. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add remaining broth, wine, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
  • Simmer the soup on low heat for about 2-2½ hours.

Serving Soup Instructions:

  • Heat broiler on the low setting.
  • Slice the bread about ½" thick, on the diagonal. Brush with olive oil sprinkle with optional Parmesan, and toast lightly in the broiler or oven. Remove and set aside.
  • Ladle the hot soup into oven-proof single-serving bowls, about ⅔ full. Rest the toasted bread slice on top of the soup and then layer with the cheese. Make sure the cheese is covering the entire top of the soup bowl.
  • Put bowls on a baking sheet. Broil in the oven for about 4-5 minutes, making sure all the cheese is melted and starting to brown on top.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Place each bowl on top of a serving plate, as the bowl will be super hot. If desired, serve with extra toasted bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 2365mg | Potassium: 891mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1302IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 594mg | Iron: 5mg