The Best French Onion Soup Recipe

If you’ve been on the hunt for the Best French Onion Soup recipe, you’ve finally stumbled upon it! Not only is this super easy French onion soup, but it’s also absolutely divine! I get bored eating plain soup that is lacking flavor and character. 

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The Best French Onion Soup Recipe

This classic French onion soup recipe is anything but boring. The explosion of flavor you get when the homemade French onion soup hits your mouth is out of this world. Whether you are looking for something to have as a light lunch, hot dinner to warm you up, or you want to give it to a family that just welcomed a new baby, this caramelized onion soup is a hit! You have to try it for yourself, but I am confident you will be so glad you made it. Then it can become a go-to soup recipe that the entire family devours just like at my house. 

French Onion Soup Ingredients

The ingredients in this traditional French onion soup are easy to find, which makes the soup even better! I hate going to the store with the list in hand, and I’m unable to find half the ingredients. This won’t be a problem with this easy onion soup recipe. 

For the Soup

How To Make French Onion Soup

This recipe is a bit time consuming, but the result is nothing short of amazing. From start to finish, it takes almost five hours. However, much of that time is inactive while the onions are braising in the oven.

First Step: Begin by heating the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the bottom and inside of a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven with cooking spray, generously. 

Second Step: Add butter with onions and salt in a pot and cook covered for 1 hour. 

NOTE: The onions wilt and release moisture as they cook. 

Third Step: After 1 hour, remove the pot from the oven and scrape the bottom and sides. Place the pot back in the oven with the lid ajar slightly. Continue cooking until the onions become very soft and golden brown, which usually takes 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 hours longer. After you reach the 1-hour mark, scrape the bottom and sides of the pot again and continue baking. 

Fourth Step: After the onions are finished baking, remove the pot from the oven and begin cooking the pot over medium-high heat. Make sure to stir frequently and scrape the sides and bottom of the pot frequently until all the liquid has evaporated and the onions brown. After 15-20 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark crust. This usually takes an additional 6-8 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed. 

Fifth Step: Pour in 1/4 cup of water and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the crust. Continue cooking until the water has evaporated, and a new dark crust has formed. Continue repeating this process of deglazing 2-3 more times until the onions are very dark brown. Pour in the sherry and cook while frequently stirring until the sherry evaporates, which takes around 5 minutes. 

Sixth Step: Pour in the chicken and beef broths, water, thyme, bay leaf, and salt into the pot. Scrape up the bottom and sides of the pot one more time. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cover for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the herb pieces and sprinkle in salt and pepper. 

Seventh Step: As the soup is simmering, begin making the croutons by placing bread in a single layer on a baking sheet at 400 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes or until the bread is dry, crisp, and has golden edges and set aside. 

Eight Step: Place the oven rack, so it’s 6 inches from the broiling element in your oven. Set broiler-safe crocks on a baking sheet filled with 1 3/4 cups of soup. Place 1 or 2 baguette slices in each bowl and sprinkle with cheese. Broil the homemade onion soup until the cheese has melted and is bubbly around the edges or for 3-5 minutes. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes to rest before serving. 

Important Tips For Making The Best French Onion Soup

There are several essential things you need to make a note of when making the best french onion soup. If you don’t follow these tips, you may end up with a mess on your hands that doesn’t taste too good. 

• Be patient when caramelizing the onions on the stovetop. The entire process takes 45 to 60 minutes, but it’s a big key in developing the incredible flavor.
• The onions can be prepared through step 1 in the directions below, cooled in the pot, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe.
• For the best flavor, make the soup a day or 2 in advance. Prepare through step 3 in the directions below and refrigerate. When ready to serve, heat the soup on the stovetop and continue with the recipe.

What Kind Of Onions Do I Need For This Homemade French Onion Soup?

One of the most critical aspects of this caramelized onion soup recipe. Always use yellow onions for this recipe. Do not use sweet onions such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, or the soup will be overly sweet. While it may sound good to have sweet soup, trust me when I tell you that it’s too sweet and not very palatable. 

Stick with yellow onions when making this french onion soup, and you’ll have great luck every time. 

How Long Does Caramelized Onion Soup Last?

This caramelized onion soup will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Place the soup in a glass or plastic airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. I like to package it in individual serving containers so I can have an easy to grab lunch when I’m on the go. 

If you can’t eat the traditional onion soup within 3-4 days, then it’s a good idea to freeze it. After you spent so much time making it, you don’t want to waste it! Pour the soup in freezer-safe bags or another airtight container. If you choose to use freezer-bags, make sure to remove excess air and always label the bag, so you know what’s inside. 

How Do I Reheat Caramelized Onion Soup?

There are a couple of options for reheating French onion soup. You can easily cover it with a damp paper towel and toss it in the microwave for a few minutes until it’s hot. Or heat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place the soup in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it’s hot and bubbly. 

Enjoy!

There is nothing more relaxing than sitting down and enjoying a warm bowl of freshly made soup. Check out these soup recipes for inspiration. 

• Instant Pot Cabbage Soup – Making soup in your Instant Pot couldn’t be easier! This is a yummy soup that fills you up and keeps you warm. 
• Instant Pot Chicken Zoodle Soup – If you are looking for a low carb soup, this is the best. It’s so flavorful and can be made ahead. 
• French Onion Instant Pot Soup – You can make a different version of French onion soup in your pressure cooker! It’s so good!
• The Best Loaded Potato Soup – This is one of those soups that you can never get enough of. It has rich flavors, and everyone will gobble up every drop. 

Now, remember to save this recipe on Pinterest for later 🙂

The Best French Onion Soup Recipe

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

This is the Best French Onion Soup ever! You'll crave this homemade french onion soup after you taste it. 8 ingredients + cheese croutons for this easy french onion soup.

4.80 from 5 votes

Review Recipe

Ingredients 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces 6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices Table salt 2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing 1/2 cup dry sherry 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 cups beef broth 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine 1 bay leaf Ground black pepper For the Cheese Croutons: 1 small baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices 8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 6 large yellow onions, about 4 pounds, halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Table salt
• 2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups beef broth
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
• 1 bay leaf
• Ground black pepper

For the Cheese Croutons:

• 1 small baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese, about 2 1/2 cups

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Instructions

• To Make the Soup: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously spray inside of a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Place butter in pot along with onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour (onions should be starting to wilt and release moisture). Remove pot from oven and stir, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
• Remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing heat to medium if onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until pot bottom is coated with dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in broths, 2 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper.
• To Make the Croutons: While soup simmers, place bread slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in 400-degree oven until bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• To Serve: Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 3/4 cups soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the best flavor, make the soup a day or 2 in advance. Alternatively, the onions can be prepared through step 1, cooled in the pot, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe.

Author: Laura

Make sure you check my best recipes below:

Corned Beef and Cabbage Eggroll Appetizer – My Corned Beef and Cabbage Eggroll Appetizer is great as an appetizer or use it as a dinner too.

Best Instant Pot Cabbage Soup – It is the best beef cabbage soup recipe you can find.

Pressure Cooker Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup – Perfect for a weeknight dinner or when you need classic comfort food.

BBQ Slow Cooker Beef Stew – a simple twist on a classic slow cooker beef stew.