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Ultimate Easy French Onion Soup with Classic Gruyère Topping

Close-up of a bowl of french onion soup topped with a thick slice of toasted bread and melted, bubbly Gruyère cheese.
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Follow these steps to make a rich, restaurant-quality French Onion Soup featuring deeply caramelized onions and a perfectly melted Gruyère cheese crust.

Ingredients

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  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
  • 8 cups rich beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 thick slices of baguette or crusty bread, toasted
  • 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 45 minutes until the onions are deep brown and fully caramelized. Do not rush this step; low and slow heat develops the flavor.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the sherry or wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. 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 and season with pepper.
  6. Preheat your broiler. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls.
  7. Place one toasted bread slice on top of the soup in each bowl.
  8. Generously top the bread with grated Gruyère cheese, covering the surface completely.
  9. 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.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use high-quality, low-sodium beef broth.
  • If you do not have oven-safe bowls, you can toast the bread separately, top it with cheese on a baking sheet, broil until melted, and then gently place the cheesy crouton on top of the soup just before serving.
  • You can make the soup base up to two days ahead; store it covered in the refrigerator and reheat before topping with cheese.

Nutrition

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