Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Classic French onion soup: onions slowly caramelised and simmered in a rich beef and wine broth, topped with toast and bubbling melted Gruyere.
French onion soup is cold-weather food at its best: onions cooked down until deeply caramelised, simmered in rich beef stock and wine, then topped with toast and a bubbling layer of Gruyere. The whole thing hangs on browning those onions slowly until they turn sweet and golden. It is rustic and warming, and well worth the patient stirring.
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Prep 15 min
Cook 60 min
Total 75 min
Medium
Scale:
- 50g Butter
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 1 kg Onion
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 4 sliced Garlic Clove
- 2 tbs Plain Flour
- 250ml Dry White Wine
- 1L Beef Stock
- 4 sliced Bread
- 140g Gruyère
Nutrition (per serving)
535
kcal
17g
Protein
47g
Carbs
27g
Fat
Estimated per serving. How we calculate this.
Tags:
Soup
Preparation
- Melt the butter with the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and cook with the lid on for 10 minutes until soft. Scatter in the sugar and cook for 20 minutes more, stirring often, until deeply caramelised and golden, watching they don't catch towards the end.
- Add the garlic for the last few minutes, then stir in the flour. Turn up the heat and keep stirring as you pour in the wine bit by bit, followed by the hot stock. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- To serve, heat the grill and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls, lay the toast on top, pile on the cheese and grill until melted and bubbling.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Caramelise the onions low and slow until they are a deep gold; this is the step that matters most and cannot be hurried.
- A pinch of sugar nudges the onions along and takes the edge off any bitterness.
- Pour in the wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the pan for extra depth.
- Use ovenproof bowls and be generous with the cheese so it bubbles and browns under the grill.
Frequently Asked Questions
At least 30 minutes, often more, until they are deep gold and jammy. That slow browning is what gives the soup its rich, sweet base.
Yes. Use a good rich vegetable stock in place of beef, and a splash of soy or a little miso will boost the savoury depth.
Gruyere is the classic for its nutty flavour and the way it melts. Comte, or a mix with a little Parmesan, also works well.
Yes. The soup base keeps and even improves over a few days. Add the toast and cheese and grill it only just before serving.
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