This French onion soup recipe is a bistro-worthy classic. Sweet caramelized onions and herbs are simmered in a rich and savory broth and topped with crispy, cheesy bread.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: French onion soup tastes rich and savory with sweet caramelized onions, a hearty broth, and melty cheese on top.
- Skill Level: Easy to moderate; simple steps, but patience is key for perfectly caramelized onions.
- Swaps: No sherry? Use a 1:1 ratio of water and apple cider vinegar. Instead of wine, use extra beef broth instead. Gruyère can be swapped for Emmentaler, Swiss, or fresh Parmesan if you’d like.
- Freezing: French onion soup freezes beautifully, so double up on the recipe and have extra when the chilly weather hits!
Simple Soup Staples
- Onions: Use sweet, white, or yellow onions for the best flavor. Vidalia or Walla Walla are great choices, but skip the red ones for this recipe. Ensure the onions are sliced thinly for the best caramelization.
- Broth: Beef broth, white wine, and sherry balance out the sweet flavor of the onions and add to their full-bodied flavor. Need a non-alcoholic substitute for sherry? Use a 1:1 ratio of water and apple cider vinegar. Drier wines like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio will produce the best broth. While wine is recommended for the best flavor, you can replace it with additional broth.
- Cheese: This dish is all about the melty, cheesy bread ‘cap’ on top! Gruyere or any combo of Gruyere, Emmentaler, Swiss, or Parmesan will taste great.
- Bread: Baguettes can be cut into any thickness and are the perfect size to create two rounds per bowl of soup. Thicker slices of sourdough, brioche, or challah can be cut to size as well.
- Variations: Bulk up French onion soup by adding some sliced mushrooms, cooked rice, or barley if you’d like. Feel free to use croutons or toasted French bread in place of bread rounds.
How to Make French Onion Soup
- Caramelize the Onions: Caramelize the sliced onions in butter (full recipe below).
- Simmer the Soup: Add remaining ingredients except bread and cheese and allow to simmer for one hour for maximum flavor development.
- Toast the Bread: Brush bread slices with oil and broil until golden brown.
- Assemble the Soup: Ladle soup into bowls, top with toasted bread rounds and cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make the soup base ahead (leaving off the bread and cheese) and store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, reheat the soup on the stovetop, prepare the cheesy bread, and add it to individual bowls set on a baking sheet to catch any drips while broiling.
- Use leftover soup as au jus for pot roast or French dip sandwiches.
- To freeze, cool the soup and place it in freezer bags for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in a pot on the stove until hot, top with bread and cheese, and broil.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
Did you make this French Onion Soup Recipe? Leave a rating and comment below.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large pot
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 3 large sweet onions
- 8 cups beef broth
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry optional
- 1 loaf baguette
- 3 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Slice onions ¼" thick. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the beef broth, wine, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, Worcestershire, and dry sherry. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprig and discard.
- Meanwhile, slice the baguette ½-inch thick, brush with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Broil under high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until golden.
- Place 6 ceramic bowls on a baking sheet and ladle the soup into the bowls. Add 2 slices of bread to each bowl and divide both cheeses evenly over the bowls. Broil until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Choose sweet Vidalia, Walla Walla, or yellow onions for this recipe. Sweeter varieties do not need sugar. You can add ½ teaspoon brown sugar if you’d like for quicker browning but it will make the soup sweeter.
- Swap fresh thyme for ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves.
- Onions will reduce to a small amount, but you’ll need a large pan or Dutch oven to begin.
- For white wine, choose a Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc. You can leave the wine out, but it is recommended for the best flavor.
- Place the bowls on a baking sheet; this makes them easier to transfer in and out of the oven.
- If you don’t have oven-safe bowls, place the dry bread or crostini on a sheet pan and top with cheese. Broil until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and transfer the bread to the top of each bowl of soup.
- French onion soup freezes beautifully. Cook and cool onions and broth, and place in freezer bags. Thaw in a pot on the stove until hot and top with bread and cheese. Broil until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 583 | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 2052mg | Potassium: 521mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1009IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 832mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine American, French© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I made this today and it was a beautifully rich soup. I added garlic, used red wine, part beef/chicken broth. I used a garlic bread slice and toasted it under broiler and topped it with fondu cheese. I would have attached a photo but we ate it too fast! I will use this one if I have someone over, they will be impressed.
That sounds so delicious Sherrill! I can totally understand why you ate it too fast for a photo, I would have too!
Can leftovers be frozen?
Yes, this freezes beautifully (without the bread or cheese added to the top).
The French Onion Soup Looks Delicious
Delicious Well Done Love it !!!!
made the french onion soup it was so good thankyou
Happy to hear that Vivian!
French onion soup is a favorite of mine; however, I really don’t like the flavor that wine adds to it. I’m a rarity in that I don’t like wine at all. In a restaurant I always ask if they add wine. Anyway, would it make a big difference in your recipe if I didn’t add the wine?
Hi Lana, we have only made this recipe as listed. You can try leaving out the wine, let us know how it turns out!
We don’t eat red meat or beef anything. can I substitute chicken broth?
And… thanks for your awesome recipes!
Hi John, we have only made this recipe as listed. But it should be fine, it will change the flavor though.
too bland for my tastes
I punched it up with red wine, balsamic vinegar and parsley
Sorry to hear that Michael, but those additions sound great!
Love love French onion soup
I hope you enjoy the recipe Patricia!
Would like recipe for the French onion soup
Hi Donna, it is at the very bottom of the page. I hope this helps!
It was delicious, and I would use only 1/4 t of thyme next time. I tried it with four onions of different varieties rather than three of the same. It took four hours in my soup pot to caramelize them to dark brown, but it was worth it! Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it Jim!
Great recipe!!! Making it now..will let you know how it turns out!!=)
I hope you love it Katherine!
I can tell you love to cook!!!!
Very easy and very good! My family loved it
So glad your family loved it Corinne!
This is a terrific recipe. But I did 4 onions and 4 cups of broth and it was enough to fill 3 traditional French onion crocks.
There is no way this recipe serves 6 unless you are serving in pudding bowls.
Next time, I am going to TRIPLE this recipe so I can actually feed 5 people.
OK – I’m an idiot – I read that as 8 oz and not cups – so of course my recipe made half ;-)
I rescind part of my commentary. Amazing recipe. And next time I’ll use 8 CUPS of broth ;-)
Glad you still loved the recipe Alisa! Definitely try it with 8 cups and let us know how it goes for you!
It could happen to anyone…like me!!!?
Uh oh! Sorry for the confusion ladies! I have added the oz after the broth to be more clear. I hope that helps!
I love the flavor in this recipe! I added two leak to the onions and only used 6 cups of broth, no sugar. Absolutely delicious, thank you! Would definitely recommend using fresh thyme, if available.
This was very good! I didn’t add thyme or sugar though, and I simply topped the bowl with a slice of toasted Italian bread. The cheese melted nicely in my air fryer. This was not too salty, not too sweet, just lovely. Thank you for sharing!
That sounds delicious Sheila! Glad you enjoyed it.
Delicious!
Thank you Michele!
I made this recipe, having forgotten what recipe I used some 10 years ago when I last made French Onion Soup. You will notice that in the instructions it doesn’t mention when to add in the Worcestershire sauce, I added it in during step 2 when I realized it wasn’t listed when to add it in. I loved the recipe and the flavor, so did my husband who in fact said let’s make this again and add bacon!
I’m so happy you love the soup Heather! Thank you for letting me know, recipe has been updated.
Thank you for the easy to follow instructions on making this delicious French Onion Soup! All time classic and my favourite.
Only part that was confusing was the “left over red wine”? I have no idea what that is?
LOL on the wine Gary!! So glad you enjoyed it!
Looking forward to getting your recipes!
Thank Dianne!