French Onion Soup [Soupe à l'oignon française]
Servings: servings
French Onion Soup is a rich, comforting dish made with caramelized onions, beef broth, and topped with toasted baguette and melted cheese.
Equipment
Ingredients
The Onions
- 1000 g yellow onions thinly sliced (about 8 medium onions = 1kg once cut)
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
The Soup
- 100 ml Brandy I prefer St-Rémy VSOP
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 5 ml Worcestershire sauce about 1 tsp
- 1000 ml beef broth or vegetable broth
The Toppings
- 1 Baguette bread thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp. salt to taste
- 200 g Gruyère or Cheddar cheese grated
Notes
Instructions
The Preparation
- Gather the ingredients. Thinly sliced 1000 g yellow onions.
- Place a pan over medium-high heat and toast the 30 g all-purpose flour, stirring continuously to prevent burning. You're aiming for a golden-brown color. Once achieved, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
The Onions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the 100 g unsalted butter with the 50 ml extra virgin olive oil. Once melted, add the sliced 1000 g yellow onions and a big pinch of 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg.
- Stir well and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the onions for about 1.5 hours, stirring every 5-10 minutes until they are caramelized and have developed a deep, dark color. Keeping the lid on helps keeping the bottom from burning and let the onions slowly caramelize.
- Once the onions are caramelized, add the 2 bay leaves, then pour in the 100 ml Brandy and allow the alcohol to burn off for a couple of minutes.
- Sprinkle in the 30 g all-purpose flour and stir to combine. Then add the 5 ml Worcestershire sauceand 1000 ml beef broth. Stir and bring to a simmer, cooking for another 20 minutes.
The Bread
- While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Arrange the sliced 1 Baguette bread on a baking sheet, then drizzle with 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt. Toast in the oven for about 4-5 minutes on each side until they are golden and crispy.
The Soup
- Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, place a few toasted baguette slices on top, and then sprinkle generously with the grated 200 g Gruyère or Cheddar cheese.
- Place the bowls on a baking sheet and put them under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
The Serving
- Carefully remove the bowls from the oven and serve hot. Enjoy your French Onion Soup [Soupe à l’oignon].