Homemade French Onion Soup

Warm, comforting, and full of rich flavor, this French Onion Soup combines caramelized onions, homemade beef broth, and nutty Gruyère for the ultimate cozy meal.

Sometimes, the simplest recipes are the best, and homemade French Onion Soup is the perfect example of that. At first glance, it might seem like just a broth with onions, topped with a bit of toast and melted cheese—nothing fancy, right? But don't let the short ingredient list fool you! While this soup may be simple in its components, it delivers an unbelievably rich and luxurious flavor that makes it feel like so much more. There's something about the sweetness of the caramelized onions and the depth of the homemade broth that makes this soup truly magical.

What makes this soup so special is the time and attention spent on developing its flavor. The key is the slow, patient caramelization of the onions. This process brings out their natural sweetness, turning them from humble vegetables into a rich, golden base. Pair that with a deeply flavorful homemade beef broth—like the one I shared recently—and you have a soup that’s complex in taste without needing a long list of ingredients. And let's not forget the Gruyère cheese, which melts beautifully on top, adding a nutty, creamy finish that takes this humble soup to the next level.

French Onion Soup does require a little patience, but the actual hands-on time is minimal. It's the kind of recipe that’s perfect for a cozy day spent at home, perhaps while catching up on some housework or just relaxing. It's comforting, yes, but it’s also elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. Whether you’re craving something warm and soul-soothing or looking for an impressive dish to serve your guests, this French Onion Soup has you covered.

Ingredients:

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds),
salt
2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing
½ cup dry sherry
6 cups of Homemade Beef Broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
1 bay leaf
Ground black pepper
1 small baguette, cut into ½-inch slices
8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 2 ½ cups)

How To Make Homemade French Onion Soup

You may be skeptical of using the oven to caramelize the onions, and I get it. It's a brilliant method, though. Instead of standing next to the stove for a long, long time, waiting for the moment of transformation into delicious caramelization, it's so much easier to allow the oven to do the work for you, while you relax or busy yourself with something else. 

Homemade French Onion Soup

Olga Klyuchits

Warm, comforting, and full of rich flavor, this French Onion Soup combines caramelized onions, homemade beef broth, and nutty Gruyère for the ultimate cozy meal.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Soups

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 3 pieces
• 6 large yellow onions about 4 pounds,
• salt
• 2 cups water plus extra for deglazing
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 6 cups Homemade Beef Broth
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme tied with kitchen twine
• 1 bay leaf
• Ground black pepper
• 1 small baguette cut into ½-inch slices
• 8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese about 2 ½ cups

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel and cut the onions in half and then slice them from pole to pole. Grease a large dutch oven with oil on the bottom and the sides. Add the butter, onions, ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of sugar into the prepped Dutch oven. Mix to combine.
• Place it into the preheated oven and cook, covered, for 1 hour. At this point, take the onions out of the oven and mix to combine.
• Return to the oven, leaving the lid slightly uncovered and cook for about 1 ½ hours more.
• Take the dutch oven out of the oven and put it on the stovetop, heating to medium heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the onions are browning and the liquid evaporates.
• Deglaze the pot with about ¼ cup of water, scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the fond off. Cook for another 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the bottom of the pot is brown again. Don't get nervous about it, this creates awesome flavor for the soup.
• Repeat this 3 more times. The onions will be very dark brown now.
• This time, deglaze the pot with the sherry and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Pour in the broth and water, add the bay leaf and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about half an hour. Season with salt and pepper, if it needs it. Discard the thyme and bay leaf.
• Cut the baguette into ½ inch slices, place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the bread is lightly golden, 8-10 minutes.
• Pour the soup into oven proof ramekins, place the toasted bread on top of the soup and sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the bread.
• Place the ramekins into the oven, with the oven rack set about 6 inches from the broiler. Broil for just a few minutes, so that the cheese melts.

Notes

You may be skeptical of using the oven to caramelize the onions, and I get it. It's a brilliant method, though. Instead of standing next to the stove for a long, long time, waiting for the moment of transformation into delicious caramelization, it's so much easier to allow the oven to do the work for you, while you relax or busy yourself with something else.

If you're using store bought Beef Broth, use only 2 cups of beef broth and 4 cups of chicken broth. Store bought beef broth is just seriously lacking in flavor, so it's best to use mostly chicken broth with just a bit of beef broth.

You can prepare the soup ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. Then simply reheat the soup, top it with the toasted bread and cheese and place it under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese and serve.