Only a few dishes remind us of the sophisticated warmth of French food like French onion soup. Hailing from the bistros of 18th-century Paris, onions, butter and stock are turned into a delicious, satisfying soup.
Since wintry evenings and hearty meals often match in the UK, many people serve French onion soup during dinner parties, on dates and at weekends. If you want everyone at the table to feel special or are cooking only for yourself, this great dish will be a winner and leave you feeling cozy.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow onions | 6 large | Sliced thin |
| Unsalted butter | 3 tbsp | — |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | — |
| Garlic cloves | 2 | Minced |
| Sugar | 1 tsp | — |
| Plain flour | 1 tbsp | — |
| Dry white wine (optional) | 250ml | Typical for recipe |
| White rapeseed oil | — | — |
| Bay leaves | 2 | — |
| Fresh thyme | 1 tsp | ½ tsp if using dried thyme |
| Salt | To taste | — |
| Black pepper | To taste | — |
| Worcestershire sauce (optional) | 1 tbsp | Enhances flavor |
For the topping:
-
Ingredient Amount Notes French baguette 1 (or 4 slices) — Gruyère cheese — Freshly grated; Emmental can be used as an alternative Fresh parsley (optional) — For garnish
Equipment Needed
- SA: Choose a cast iron or steel saucepan with a wide base.
- Wooden spoon
- You will need oven-safe soup bowls, in case you add cheese on top (you use the grill for the cheese).
- Cheese grater
- Ladle
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Caramelise the onions
In a large pan, heat the butter and olive oil at medium setting. Place the slices of onion in with a pinch of salt. Move them around to ensure they are all coated with the fat.
Set the pot on low heat, watch it for 30-40 minutes and stir from time to time. Onions should be gently cooked until they turn warm golden brown.
During the final 10 minutes, add the garlic and sugar to help improve the dish’s taste. Onions are best caramelised if you cook them slowly at a low temperature.
Step 2: Put together the base
Add some flour on top of the caramelised onions. Ensure you stir the dish for 2 minutes to remove the uncooked flavor. It also increases the thickness of the bisque.
If you are using wine, pour it into the pan and scrape the browned parts from the bottom using a spoon. Allow the mixture to cook for 2 or 3 minutes to make it less liquid.
Add the stock, some thyme, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce to the mix. Heat the liquid to the point where it is not bubbling rapidly. Allow the container with the food to sit covered and cook for approximately 20–25 minutes until all the flavors combine.
Step 3: Prepare the bread
As the soup is cooking, heat up the grill (or oven) to reach 200°C (fan mode). Crisp and brown both sides of the bread by toasting on the stove.
Sprinkle a generous amount of grated Gruyère onto the cheese and continue cooking until the cheese has melted and looks slightly brown on top.
Step 4: Serve your dishes
Take out the bay leaves from the soup and season it with salt and pepper. Place the soup into the bowls while it is hot. Set a cheesy crouton over every serving. You may decorate the rice with a sprinkling of chopped parsley, if you like.
Nutritional Values (Approx. per serving)
| Nutrient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 390 | Per serving |
| Protein | 14g | — |
| Fat | 20g | — |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | — |
| Fibre | 4g | — |
| Sodium | 800mg | — |
Other Information and Suggestions
- For a vegetarian meal, use excellent vegetable stock and skip Worcestershire sauce (choose a vegetarian kind if possible).
- Substitute butter from plants, cheeses with vegan varieties and double-check the ingredients in both your wine and your stock before buying.
- Add a little balsamic or sherry vinegar to the finished dish and it will taste better.
- No Wine? Mix additional stock with a little drizzle of lemon to provide some acidity.
- Gruyère may be hard to find in some parts of the UK; instead, you can use either mature cheddar or Emmental.
Tips I Have Experienced in Cooking
From Bath, Charlotte shares her thoughts about nutrition on her food blog. When I traveled to Lyon and tried French onion soup, it opened my eyes to the flavors of onions. Since then, I cook it at least every four weeks. The process of caramelising the onions is very therapeutic and the crouton tastes like cheese. It is perfect indulgence. You should always add some dry white wine to the dish, as it definitely enhances the other ingredients.
French Onion Soup and Its Role in History
In France, this recipe dates back many years because onions were so easily obtained and inexpensive, so it was first thought of as food for peasants. At the time, Parisian markets began to sell stew, making it popular as a meal to eat after working for many hours.
Nowadays, French onion soup is famous worldwide for representing the rustic side of French cuisine. In many places in the UK, this food shows up both in pubs and in fine restaurants, admired for its rich and historical appearance.
Serving Suggestions
- Try drinking a glass of Sauvignon Blanc that has been chilled.
- Have the salad alongside so it cuts through some of the rich taste of the lobster.
- Roast some root vegetables to enjoy a fuller meal.
Keeping & Heating
- To store, keep the dished closed in an airtight container for 4 days.
- You can freeze the soup minus the bread topping for as many as 3 months.
- Heat up: Casually heat up the saucepan until it becomes hot. Serve the salad with crusty pieces of fresh cheese.
By mixing simple items, French onion soup becomes more wonderful and flavorful. With all those delicious flavors, French onion soup ensures you feel pampered, impressed and satisfied with each bite.
You can cook this dish for company or just enjoy a cozy evening meal, since it delicious, nutritious and perfectly matches the tastes of modern UK home cooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.My onions never get that deep brown color. Am I doing something wrong?
A.You are in no way in the wrong, you most likely just need to be more patient! What makes it so rich and sweet is that the onions must be caramelized on low heat over a long period of time. Simmer them on medium-low heat, stirring every now and then, at least 40-60 minutes. Don not hurry this part out-That dark mahogany is where all the magic lies.
Q.What kind of onions are best for this soup?
A.Although any onion can be used technically; however yellow onions are clean and classic best option in this soup. When they caramelize, they also have the ideal combination of sweet and tangy savory taste. Onions such as sweet onions such as Vidalia can also be used, but they may render the final soup a bit too sweet to the tastes of the end users.
Q.I don’t have any oven-safe bowls. How can I get the cheesy top?
A.Not at all! Mixing may be done separately to come up with cheese toasts or croutons. You just have to place your slices of bread topped with cheese on a baking pan. Put them under the broiler in the oven until that cheese has melted and bubbled and then just pop one on top of each bowl of hot soup when you serve.
Q.What’s the best cheese to use for that perfect cheesy pull?
A.Gruyere is the classic and most common because of amazing melting properties and nutty savory taste. But when you can and/or feel like shaking it up, some Swiss and provolone are delicious together. Even a teaspoon of Parmesan sprinkled on the top before its broiled will give it an awesome salt factor.
Q.Can I make French Onion Soup ahead of time?
A.Absolutely! In fact, the base tastes even better a day or two later as it allows the flavours to all combine. Just stash the soup in an airtight container in the fridge, then re-heat on the stovetop until, then ladle it into bowls and add the top of the bread and cheese to broil.
Q.My soup tastes a little bland. How can I boost the flavor?
A.In case the taste cannot excite you, a couple of simple solutions to the problem are possible. It is imperative that you deglazed your pan properly when caramelising the onions by using wine or brandy to extract all those delicious browned bits. The end of cooking, too, can begin with some splash of balsamic vinegar or some dash of Worcestershire to give depth and lighten it all up.
