Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee (French Onion Soup)

About This Recipe

French onion soup depends almost entirely on one technique done well: caramelizing a large quantity of onions low and slow until they turn a deep mahogany brown, a process that can't be rushed without sacrificing the soup's signature depth. Once the onions collapse into a sweet, jammy base, a splash of wine deglazes the pot before beef stock and fresh thyme go in to simmer into a rich, dark broth that tastes far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests. The finishing touch — a thick slice of toasted baguette floated on top and buried under melted gruyere, then broiled until bubbling and browned — turns the soup into a full meal, the cheese pulling into long strands with every spoonful.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 6yellow onions(thinly sliced)
• 4 tbspbutter
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 cupdry white wine
• 6 cupsbeef stock
• 2bay leaves
• 2 sprigsfresh thyme
• 1baguette(sliced and toasted)
• 2 cupsgrated gruyere cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Caramelize the onions

   Melt butter with olive oil in a heavy pot, add onions, sugar and salt, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45-50 minutes until deeply browned and jammy.

   Resist the urge to raise the heat to speed this up — true caramelization takes time, and rushing it just burns the onions instead of sweetening them.

2. 2

   Deglaze

   Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and cook 3 minutes.

3. 3

   Simmer the broth

   Add beef stock, bay leaves and thyme; bring to a simmer and cook uncovered 25-30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

4. 4

   Season

   Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, and adjust salt to taste.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, float a slice of toasted baguette on top, and pile with grated gruyere.

6. 6

   Broil

   Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling and browned in spots, about 3-5 minutes, watching closely.

Variations

• •

  A vegetarian version uses a rich vegetable or mushroom stock instead of beef stock.

• •

  Comte or Swiss cheese can substitute for gruyere if it's not available.

• •

  Some versions add a splash of cognac along with the wine for extra depth.

Storage

Refrigerate the soup (without the bread and cheese topping) up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months; add fresh toasted bread and cheese and broil again just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions