Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 2 1/2 lbs onions
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 Tbsp sugar
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups beef broth
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 loaf sourdough bread (or french baguette)
- 6 slices swiss cheese (or grated Swiss cheese)
Prep the Onions
Peel the onions, cut them in half and then into 1/4 inch slices.
You want them all roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly – some will naturally separate into individual layers and that’s fine.
Soften the Onions in Fat
In a large pot, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat.
Add all the onions and cook until they start to soften, about ~20 minutes.
Stir occasionally but don’t worry about constant attention at this stage.
Caramelize the Onions
Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the salt.
Stir frequently for ~15 minutes – the onions will start to turn golden and release more moisture.
Add the sugar and continue cooking for another ~15 minutes, stirring regularly.
The onions are done when they’re deep golden brown and have reduced significantly in volume. They should smell sweet and nutty, not burnt.
Deglaze and Build the Soup Base
Add the white wine to the pot and use a spatula to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom.
Let the wine cook for ~2-3 minutes to burn off some alcohol.
Add the beef broth, black pepper, bay leaves, and thyme leaves.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for ~30 minutes.
The flavors need time to meld together and the broth should taste rich and oniony.
Prepare the Cheese Toasts
Turn your oven broiler on high.
Cut the bread into thick slices and arrange on a baking sheet.
Broil for ~1-2 minutes until lightly toasted on top.
Flip each slice over, top with a slice of Swiss cheese, and broil another ~1-2 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
Watch closely – cheese goes from melted to burnt quickly under the broiler.
Serve
Remove the bay leaves from the soup.
Ladle into bowls and float a cheese toast on top of each serving.
The bread will start to soak up the broth, which is exactly what you want.
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
~6 servings
- 2 1/2 lbs onions
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 Tbsp sugar
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups beef broth
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 loaf sourdough bread or french baguette
- 6 slices swiss cheese or grated Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Slice onions thinly and evenly.
- Melt butter and olive oil in large pot over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase heat to medium-high, add salt, and cook 15 minutes until golden.
- Add sugar and cook another 15 minutes, stirring regularly until deep golden brown.
- Pour in white wine, scrape pot bottom, and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Add beef broth, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Simmer 30 minutes until broth is rich and flavorful.
- Toast bread slices under broiler 1-2 minutes per side.
- Top bread with Swiss cheese and broil until melted and bubbly.
- Remove bay leaves from soup.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheesy toast.
