French Onion Soup Recipe
This French onion soup recipe combines golden caramelized onions, savory broth, toasted baguette, and gooey melted cheese for a comforting classic. Perfect for cozy dinners, it’s rich, budget-friendly, and surprisingly simple to make.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine French
Servings 6
Calories 420 kcal
- 4 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup dry white wine optional
- 8 cups beef broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 French baguette sliced
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese or Swiss
In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
Add sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until caramelized (about 30–40 minutes). Sprinkle with sugar midway to enhance browning.
Stir in garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Deglaze with white wine (if using), scraping up browned bits.
Pour in broth, add bay leaf and thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer 25–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast baguette slices until golden and crisp.
Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with baguette slices, and sprinkle generously with cheese.
Place bowls under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve hot, garnished with extra thyme if desired.
Caramelize onions low and slow for the best flavor.
For vegetarian, use veggie broth and vegetarian-friendly cheese.
Swap Gruyère for mozzarella, Swiss, or provolone if preferred. Keyword caramelized onions, cheesy bread soup, classic french soup, french onion soup recipe, onion soup