French Onion Soup- Easy Soup Recipe

French onion soup is a delicious meal at any time of the year. The soup is light enough to make it a pleasant option in the summer months. However, it is hearty and warming in the winter and fall thanks to its substantial topping. Traditionally, this soup is topped with cheese and toasted bread.

As its name suggests, this soup originates from France and it has a long history. During the 1960s, French onion soup experienced a resurgence. This was because of the trend for cooking French cuisine at that time.

People around the world, including in the UK and the United States, began recreating traditional French cuisine. This soup was one of the simplest dishes that people could make at home, and it has remained popular ever since.

The element of this soup that makes the most difference to its overall flavour is the stock. It is traditionally made with beef stock, and it is best to use your own beef stock if possible. The second-best option is to use a premade beef stock in liquid or paste form. Try not to use store cupboard stock cubes if possible.

It is a soup that those on a limited budget should consider making, as it is a cheap soup to make. Despite the low cost, it is full of flavour. The following is an easy French onion soup recipe with full instructions.

Ingredients for French Onion Soup

• 6 large onions- white or red
• 8 cups of beef stock
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of brandy
• A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme, or ½ tsp. of dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Topping

• 1 baguette cut into 6 slices
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 oz. grated Gruyere cheese
• 6 tbsp dried Parmesan

How to Make French Onion Soup

1. Cut the onions in half, lay them on the flat side and thinly slice to create half rings.
2. Put a large pan over medium heat on the hob.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and heat until it is sizzling.
4. Then, add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 15 minutes until the onions are softened and slightly caramelized.
5. Turn up the heat of the hob to high and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter.
6. Cook for a further 10 minutes until the onions are beginning to turn brown.
7. Add the sugar for further caramelization and a teaspoon of salt, then cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Next, add the crushed garlic and cook for one more minute.
9. Pour the white wine and brandy into the pan and scrape off the browned bits from the side and bottom of the pan, stirring it into the liquid. This is called deglazing.
10. Add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves to the pan and bring the liquid to a simmer.
11. Season with black pepper to taste.
12. Once the soup is simmering, add a lid to the pan and lower the heat.
13. Leave to cook for a further 30 minutes.
14. While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 450F/ 220C/ Gas Mark 8.
15. Slice your baguette so that each slice is 1-inch thick.
16. Cover a baking tray in a sheet of greaseproof paper and lay your baguette slices on top.
17. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil.
18. Put the tray of bread slices into the oven and coo for approximately 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
19. Remove from the oven and turn each slice of toasted bread over.
20. Top with the grated Gruyere cheese and Parmesan.
21. Return the tray of bread slices to the oven and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
22. To serve, ladle the French onion soup into the soup bowls, then top each soup with a slice of toasted baguette and cheese.

Additional Tips

• If you are not a fan of Parmesan, simply remove this ingredient.
• Having trouble getting hold of Gruyere cheese? Use another variety of cheese that is stringy and flavoursome, such as mozzarella or cheddar.
• Traditionally, the toasted baguette and cheese are served on top of the French onion soup. However, if you do not like your bread to go soggy, then serve the toasted baguette slice topped with cheese on a side plate. You can then dip this in the soup rather than having it floating in the soup’s liquid.
• An alternative ingredient to white wine is to use half a cup of Vermouth.
• Using a mandoline to slice your onions will produce even slices.
• Experiment with adding to or reducing the flavour of this soup by altering the amount of herbs you add.
• An alternative way to create the topping for French onion soup is to toast the baguette, serve the soup into bowls, add the toasted baguette, and sprinkle with cheese. You then put the whole soup bowl with the soup, baguette, and cheese into the oven until the cheese is bubbling.