Easy French Onion Soup Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

Tony and I had one of the best French onion soups at a hotel in Cancun a few years ago. I wasn’t expecting it to be so delicious, but the caramelized onions, juicy umami flavors, savory broth, and crispy-yet-slightly-soaked bread sent me into a straight food coma of delight.

After that, we decided that homemade French onion soup would forever be one of our favorites, and truth be told, we’ve been craving a good homemade version ever since.

A few weeks ago, I decided it was finally time to attempt the best French onion soup recipe that would rival the one I had in Mexico.

Admittedly, after slicing 5 juicy onions, my eyes were tearing up and burning, but the result was worth it. The onions caramelized until they were a dark amber brown and my house smelled like a French restaurant. Oui, oui!

Many have told me to chew gum while slicing onions to prevent tearing up. I still haven’t tried it, but plan on the next time I make this recipe. If you have any other tips to prevent onion tears, let me know in the comment below.

Looking for more delicious soup recipes?

Enter your email to get one of our BEST soup recipes straight to your inbox each day for 10 days. Totally FREE!

French onion soup ingredients

This easy French onion soup recipe actually doesn’t require a laundry list of ingredients. If it feels intimidating, don’t worry! You got this. Here’s what you’ll need:

Onions: you’ll want to use white or yellow onion to add a nice sweetness to the soup. Don’t worry a mix of onions also works.
Flour: a little all-purpose flour will help to thicken the soup. You can feel free to use gluten-free flour.
Dry white wine: this helps to deglaze the pan and add a boost of flavor.
Beef broth: I recommend a good quality beef broth or beef stock for the best flavor. You can also use a mix of beef and chicken stock. Homemade beef broth would help enhance the flavor even more, but let’s be honest, not many of us have time to make homemade beef broth, so store-bought works well.
Fresh thyme: always go with fresh thyme sprigs over dried.
Worcestershire sauce: the flavors in Worcestershire sauce are a mix of vinegar, garlic, chile, molasses, etc. which act as the French onion soup spices. A tablespoon goes a long way to help bring out the umami flavors. I’m in love.
For topping: like all classic French onion soup recipes, you’ll dunk baguette slices in the soup and then top them with cheese. What is the ideal French onion soup cheese? Some people use parmesan cheese, swiss, or mozzarella, but sharp gruyere cheese is the way to go. I call it magic!

Can I skip the wine in my French onion soup recipe?

Sure! Feel free to simply use extra beef broth to deglaze the pan.

The key to the best French onion soup: caramelized onions

We can all agree that caramelized onions are the best things ever, right? Right. They’re easier to make than you think! Here’s how to do it:

In a large pot add ½ tablespoon olive oil or butter, sliced onions, and salt and pepper and place it over medium heat; stir to coat.
Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, and check them every 5-10 minutes until they have completely caramelized and turned golden brown.
If the onions appear to be getting too dark or sticking too much to the bottom of the pan, then simply reduce the heat a bit. You can also add a teaspoon or two of water.

How to make French onion soup

Caramelize your onions. Start by caramelizing your onions, then stir in flour and garlic.
Assemble the soup. Deglaze the soup with white wine, scraping up all of the brown bits, then add in the beef broth, thyme, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered.
Season to taste. After simmering for about 30 minutes remove the bay leaf and taste the soup and add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
Toast your baguette. Slice your baguette and top each slice with butter and garlic powder. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes per side until they’re nice and golden.
Top your soup & serve. You have two ways to finish your French onion soup with cheesy bread on top. See below!

Two ways to finish the French onion soup

Option 1: you can simply add the cheese to the baguette slices and then top with cheese. Broil until melted and then add to soup. Enjoy! This version is best if you don’t have mini oven-safe crocks.
Option 2: add soup to crocks, top with your toasted baguette slice, add cheese, and heat the soup under the broiler until cheese melts.

Storing & freezing your French onion soup

To store: store any leftover French onion soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days without the baguette on top. Reheat in the microwave and then top with cheesy baguette as instructed.
To freeze: let the soup cool completely, then add it to freezer-friendly meal prep containers and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw the soup in the fridge and then reheat it in the microwave. Top with a cheesy baguette and enjoy!

More soup recipes you’ll love

The Best Minestrone Soup
Roasted Garlic Cheddar Cauliflower Soup
Slow Cooker White Wine Chicken Stew
Healing Ginger Coconut Chicken Brown Rice Soup
Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Get all of my soup recipes here!

I hope you love this French onion soup recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Classic French Onion Soup

4.91 from 21 votes

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ cup dry white wine (or beef broth), for deglazing the pan
7-8 cups beef broth, depending on how brothy you like your french onion soup (can also use bone broth)*
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon worcheshire sauce
1 bay leaf
For the baguettes:
1 demi french baguette, cut into 1 inch thick slices
1 tablespoon butter
Garlic powder
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, thickly shredded

Instructions

Melt the olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add in the onions and salt and stir to coat the onions with the butter. Cook onions, stirring occasionally; check onions every 10-15 minutes until they have completely caramelized and turned golden in color. This usually takes 30-40 minutes total. If the onions appear to be getting too dark or sticking too much to the bottom of the pan, then simply reduce the heat a bit.
After onions have completely caramelized, add in flour and minced garlic, stir to coat onions and cook for 2 more minutes.
Deglaze the pan with about ½ cup very dry white white or beef broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Slowly add in beef broth, thyme, freshly ground black pepper, worcheshire sauce and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary, such as adding more salt and pepper.
About 10 minutes before the soup is done, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the baguette slices in a single layer on the baking sheet, brush one side of toasts with butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder and toast in the oven for 5 minutes per side until golden on the edges. Remove from oven.
At this point you have two options on how to finish the soup:
OPTION 1: Add shredded cheese on top of one side of the toasted baguettes and continue to bake for 3-5 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Ladle soup into bowls. Add a slice or two of your cheesy baguette on top. Serve soup immediately. Sometimes I add a little extra shredded cheese on top of the soup.
OPTION 2: You make the soup the traditional way placing oven-safe bowls/crocks on a baking sheet and ladling soup into the bowls. Top each with a toasted baguette. Sprinkle each bowl with about 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Make sure you are watching very carefully! Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings

Recipe Notes

*Feel free to use a mix of chicken broth and beef broth if you'd like.

See the full post for tips, tricks & freezing instructions!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 347calCarbohydrates: 22.3gProtein: 17.8gFat: 21.2gSaturated Fat: 11.4gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 5.9g

Recipe by: Monique of Ambitious Kitchen // Photography by: Sasha of Eat Love Eats

Easy French Onion Soup Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

My personal go-tos include worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and brandy. Each deepens the flavor of french onion soup. Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce are other great options.

Read On ›

What broth is French onion soup made of? ›

This soup traditionally is made with beef stock, though sometimes a good beef stock can be hard to come by and expensive to make. If you use boxed stock, taste it first! If you don't like the taste, don't use it. (If you cook a lot of beef or beef roasts, save the scraps and freeze them to make a stock with later.)

Discover More ›

What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

Show Me More ›

Should you caramelize onions for French onion soup? ›

The sweetness of the onions is key to the flavor of the soup, as the onions are slowly cooked until they are caramelized and golden brown, which brings out their natural sweetness and deepens their flavor.

Find Out More ›

How do you fix bland onion soup? ›

Fix a bland onion soup by using supermarket broth and mild white onions, tasteless oil for sauteeing, stale plain white bread instead of croutons, and mild white cheese. Start by reducing the broth. Simmering out some water will intensify the flavor of the broth. Once you get it to the right point, add some salt.

View Details ›

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

What cheese can I use instead of Gruyère in French onion soup? ›

Other Swiss types of cheese like Raclette cheese or Appenzeller Cheese or Dutch cheeses like Edam cheese or Gouda or Jarlsberg cheese from Norway or American Swiss cheese can all be substituted.

Show Me More ›

Does it matter how you cut onions for French onion soup? ›

For French onion soup, it is best to slice the onions into thin, even slices. This will allow them to cook evenly and caramelize properly. You can achieve this by cutting the onion in half, placing the flat side down, and slicing it widthwise into thin slices.

Learn More Now ›

How do you thicken French onion soup? ›

If you want to thicken your French onion soup, you can add a bit of flour. Combine a couple of tablespoons of flour with a teaspoon of salt and whisk in about a quarter cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened.

Keep Reading ›

Why is my French onion soup too sweet? ›

Onions are very sweet, especially when they're cooked down, and that is the main purpose of onion soup. The sweetness can be balanced by adding some dry wine or vinegar. Taste as you go and don't overdo it. A little salt will balance it too, but don't forget that the grated cheese you will top it with is salty.

Discover More Details ›

Why did Panera change their French onion soup? ›

Panera Bread is working to regain customers' loyalty in 2020 with the reintroduction of its fan-favorite French Onion Soup. 2019 was a year of food news for Panera, not all of it positive. First, it removed the French Onion Soup, a staple on the menu for over 20 years, to make room for seasonal menu items in June.

Why does my French onion soup taste burnt? ›

If the heat is too high, the onions will burn. If you don't stir often at beginning and almost constantly toward the end, the onions will burn. If one little bit burns the whole batch needs to be tossed. Otherwise the soup ends up tasting like burnt onion.

Find Out More ›

Why are my onions not browning for French onion soup? ›

A few reasons could be that you sliced them too thick or too thin. You haven't cooked them long enough. Your heat isn't at the right temp, use between medium and medium-low.

Read On ›

Do onions need to be cooked before adding to soup? ›

You should. Traditionally, a mirepoix is made: diced onion, carrot, celery. Cooked SLOWLY in a sauce pan until the start to sweat, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring often — then added to the soup. This brings out the full flavor and makes the soup taste better.

Discover More ›

How do you make soup taste stronger? ›

Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.

What spices add depth to soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

Keep Reading ›

How do you get the most Flavour out of onions? ›

Soak in Vinegar: It only takes about 15 minutes. Soaking raw onions in acid rinses away the harsh flavors and adds pleasant tartness. Soak in Water: Even water washes away those pesky sulfuric flavors. A quick 15-minute soak does the trick.

Get More Info ›

How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.