Description
Hearty French onion soup, a beloved classic, showcases caramelized onions and rich broth with a golden cheese crust. Slow-cooked simplicity brings comfort and depth, inviting you to savor each spoonful of this timeless French culinary tradition.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 large white onions, sliced
- 64 ounces (1.9 liters) beef broth, reduced sodium
- 8 slices French bread, stale or dry
Dairy and Cheese Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Emmental cheese
- 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup dry sherry
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Transform sliced onions into a rich, golden delicacy by slowly sautéing with butter and brown sugar over medium-low temperature for approximately 20 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent burning.
- Transfer caramelized onions into the crockpot, introducing beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, sherry, fresh thyme, and bay leaf to create a robust flavor foundation.
- Allow the soup to simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours, permitting ingredients to meld and develop deep, complex flavors.
- Carefully extract and discard the bay leaf, ensuring a smooth soup consistency.
- Strategically ladle the aromatic soup into individual oven-safe serving bowls.
- Crown each bowl with a crisp slice of rustic French bread, generously sprinkling a combination of Gruyere, Emmental, and Parmesan cheese across the surface.
- Position bowls under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watching closely until cheese transforms into a bubbling, golden-brown blanket with crispy edges.
Notes
- Slow cooking transforms tough onions into sweet, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness by breaking down their complex sugars gradually.
- Caramelizing onions beforehand intensifies their natural sweetness and adds deeper flavor complexity to the soup.
- Use low-sodium beef broth to control salt levels, allowing more flexibility in seasoning throughout the cooking process.
- For gluten-free adaptation, swap traditional French bread with gluten-free crusty bread or omit bread entirely and use cheese crisp as topping.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg