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The Ultimate Easy French Onion Soup with Gruyère Croutons

Close-up of rich french onion soup topped with a thick layer of melted, browned cheese dripping over the side of a crock.
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Make a rich, savory French Onion Soup featuring deeply caramelized onions and a classic Gruyère cheese topping in a short amount of time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
  • 6 cups high-quality beef broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 baguette, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
  • 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, salt, and sugar.
  2. Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 35 minutes until they are deeply browned and fully caramelized. This step requires patience for the best flavor.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the sherry or wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 3 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir constantly for 1 minute.
  6. Pour in the beef broth, add the bay leaf and thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove the bay leaf. Season with pepper.
  7. Preheat your broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Toast them lightly under the broiler for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp.
  8. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Place one or two toasted baguette slices on top of the soup in each bowl.
  9. Generously cover the bread with grated Gruyère cheese.
  10. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For the deepest flavor, do not rush the onion caramelization process; low and slow heat is key.
  • If you do not have oven-safe bowls, you can melt the cheese on the bread slices separately and float them on top of the soup just before serving.
  • Use the best quality beef broth you can find, as it forms the base of the soup’s flavor.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/french-onion-soup-recipe-easy-gruyere/