Easy French Onion Soup

Two crocks filled with the cheesy onion soup with a spoon in the front crock - square

This easy French onion soup recipe delivers deep, savory flavor with minimal effort. Caramelized onions simmered in a rich broth, topped with toasted bread and gooey melted cheese, make this comforting dish perfect for cozy dinners or special gatherings.

Course Soup

Cuisine Soup

Keyword easy French onion soup, french onion soup, onion soup

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 4

Total Time 1 9

Servings cups

Calories 315kcal

Author Elaine Benoit

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 onions (vidalia, or 4 cups of sliced onions)
2 teaspoons garlic paste (or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed)
32 ounces beef broth (or vegetable if you want to keep it vegetarian)
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon thyme (or two fresh sprigs)
2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt

Add-ons

4 slices crusty bread (small French bread loaf)
2 slices provolone cheese
1 slice muenster cheese

Instructions

Heat a medium saucepan on medium-low heat and add oil and butter.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons butter
Once the oils heat up, add onions and sauté for 15 minutes - until juices are released.
3 onions
Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
2 teaspoons garlic paste
Add broth, sherry, wine, thyme, maple syrup, salt, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.
32 ounces beef broth, 1/4 cup dry sherry, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1 teaspoon thyme, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer and cook for 50 minutes.
Preheat oven to broil, on high.
Cut a French loaf into slices. Toast 4 pieces (or as many pieces as you are serving). I use two per crock.
4 slices crusty bread
Ladle soup into the crocks. Place toasted bread on top of the soup, as well as half a piece of Muenster and a full piece of provolone.
2 slices provolone cheese, 1 slice muenster cheese
Place crocks on jelly roll pans and then under the broiler. Stand there and make sure the cheese doesn't get burned - mine took 2 minutes.
Serve, smile, and enjoy.

Notes

Helpful tips

Vidalia onions are my top choice for this recipe because of their natural sweetness and mellow flavor. If you can’t find them, yellow onions make a good substitute.
If you live near a Trader Joe’s, their organic broths are a great option—flavorful, affordable, and rich. Just a heads-up: I avoid low-sodium broths since they often contain added sugar or other ingredients to balance the flavor.
I like to mix up the cheeses when topping this soup. Muenster, Provolone, Gruyère, and Swiss are my favorites, but feel free to use whatever cheese you enjoy most.
For the wine, I stick with dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. I find that Chardonnay tends to be a bit too sweet for this dish.
Dry sherry adds a lovely depth of flavor, but you can skip it if needed.
If you prefer fresh herbs, you can use two sprigs of thyme in place of dried thyme.
For the bread, I love using crusty French bread. A baguette works especially well for the cheesy topping.

Nutrition