French Onion Soup
Deeply caramelized, richly savory, and topped with bubbling cheese. French onion soup is a masterclass in patience. Those golden onions? Worth every minute.
Soups & Stews · Prep 15 min · Cook 60 min · Serves 4 · Medium · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 6 large onions, thinly sliced
- 50 g butter
- 1.5 L beef stock
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 4 sprigs thyme, fresh
- 200 g Gruyère cheese, grated
- 1 small baguette, sliced
A Masterclass in Patience
The secret to extraordinary French onion soup is time. You cannot rush caramelized onions. They need low heat, patience, and about 45 minutes to transform from sharp white slices into sweet, golden, deeply flavored ribbons of pure magic.
How to Make It
Melt butter in a heavy pot. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, for 40-45 minutes. Yes, really. They should be deeply golden, sweet, and jammy.
Add the wine and let it reduce. Pour in the beef stock and thyme, simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle into oven-safe bowls, float baguette slices on top, pile on the Gruyère, and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Tina's Tips
- Low and slow with the onions — rushing them on high heat gives you fried, not caramelized
- A pinch of sugar helps kickstart the caramelization
- Gruyère is traditional but Swiss or even mozzarella works
- This soup tastes even better the next day — the flavors just deepen
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