French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup: A Regal Legacy

What is French onion soup? If you’re not yet familiar with this classic French soup we implore you to drop everything but your knife, and get to chopping some onions. When it comes to decadent comfort food, French onion soup is unrivaled, with its heaping spoonfuls of rich, caramelized onions, soul-soothing broth, all nestled under a bubbly puddle of melted, nutty Swiss cheese. Thought to be descended from the kitchen of King Louis XV, our easy French onion soup recipe is such an indulgent favorite we keep it in regular rotation. For a hearty riff on this soup, try our delicious French onion chicken.

French Onion Soup Ingredients

In our delicious take on this French bistro classic, we look to the simplest of ingredients to yield the most incredibly rich and decadent flavors. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Yellow onions. You’ll need four medium onions, which might be more than you think you need, because they cook down as they caramelize.

• Beef stock. We keep a Costco-sized jar of Better Than Bouillon’s organic beef stock in our fridge at all times, and it comes in especially handy for building the rich umami flavor of French onion soup.

• Gruyère or Comté cheese. And lots of it! Not only are these well-known Swiss cheeses nutty and rich, they’re the very best melting cheeses in the whole world. Now is not the time to be shy!

• Fresh + dried herbs. Thyme, garlic, and bay leaf do the bulk of the seasoning in this simple soup.

• White wine and Port (or Cognac). That’s right, our French onion soup gets a double dose of booze. For another decadent wine-y dinner try our Beef Bourguignon.

How to Make French Onion Soup

This French onion soup recipe is inspired by one of our favorite restaurants in New York, Balthazar. Cozy red banquettes and a bustling bistro vibe make it a perennial favorite. It’s a wonderful spot for watching the world go by, celebrity sightings, and French onion soup. What sets this recipe apart from all others? A few things. Here are our tips to ensure that your French onion soup turns out perfect every time:

• Don’t rush the onions. Give yourself time to fully caramelize the onions (at least forty minutes) because this is what gives our homemade French onion soup loads of flavor. They should be completely softened, and a nice dark brown. And don’t be afraid if they start to stick to the bottom as they brown—simply scrape up what bits you can and the rest will come up as soon as you add the broth. You can also check out our instructions for how to caramelize onions, if you’re feeling unsure.

• Use the best-quality ingredients you can. Since our recipe relies on precious few ingredients, use the best you have access to. We’re talking big, juicy onions that make your eyes water, grass-fed butter (which we reserve for the most special of occasions, like this one), the freshest herbs you can find, and wine you’re more than happy to drink on its own.

• Don’t skimp on the cheese. While some recipes opt for simply adding a cheesy piece of toast atop a bowl of slow-simmered onions, that definitely isn't the case here. In our opinion, you should be twisting your spoon repeatedly to catch that cheese pull from falling into your lap.

• Have a baguette around that’s a little past its prime? Perfect! This is a great use for day-old bread, because it won’t fall apart as easily as fresh bread once submerged in the soup. Slice up that day-old baguette to use as a delicious cheese raft!

Say Cheese

What kind of cheese is on French onion soup? Nutty, aged Alpine-style cheese, like Gruyère or Comté, are both good cheese for melting. That said, we know not everyone always has a block of fancy French cheese on hand. In a pinch, for French onion soup cheese, you could swap in a super-melty grocery store Swiss, or the fondue-favorite Emmentaler works well here, too. Whatever it is, you’ll be happy to have to use your teeth to scrape it from your soup spoon. Yum!

What to Serve with French Onion Soup

This easy homemade French onion soup recipe is wholesome, hearty, and an entrée unto itself. Seriously, don’t underestimate the power of caramelized onions + soothing broth + melty cheese. Because of that, it’s super easy to turn our homemade French onion soup into a multi-course meal with a few quick additions, like:

• Simple side salad. Both our Butter Lettuce Salad and Easy Fennel Salad would be a divine addition.

• Fresh crusty baguette. Or, break out the butter for our ultra-decadent Garlic Bread.

• Is it possible to have too much melted cheese? If you’re in our camp, you might also want to check out our Croque Monsieur recipe.

• Keep it classically bistro with Chicken Paillard or Steak Frites.

• Bottle of French wine. Sancerre or Chablis–this is the best wine to use in French onion soup. Since the soup itself calls for a healthy glug of white wine, plan to open something you’d be happy to drink on its own, but that doesn’t break the bank.

Tools To Make The Best French Onion Soup

Our classic French onion soup recipe is one you’ll revisit for years to come (you’re welcome!). Keep these tools within arms reach to always be ready:

• Medium-sized Dutch oven. We love our Staub 6-quart, but any heavy-bottomed pot will do.

• Box Grater. Like this Cuisinart one. We’re grateful that this recipe calls for a lot of grated cheese, but that also means you’ll want a grater that makes the job as easy as possible.

• Oven-proof serving bowls. The deliciousness of this soup exists in direct relation to the melty mass of cheese on top, which you can’t achieve without broiling each bowl. A perfect excuse to add these cocottes to your kitchenware collection.

If You Can Put Your Spoon Down, Snap A Picture

We know that you’ll want to dig in as soon as the cheese has melted, but if you can snap a quick photo of your French onion soup, tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Bon appétite!