How To Make French Onion Soup

French onion soup is famous for its rich and beefy broth, delicious caramelized onions, and cheesy crust. You can easily wow your family or dinner guests with the following recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium yellow onions, (about 8 cups), thinly sliced
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. sugar
• 1 T. flour
• 2 quarts beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup white wine
• French bread
• Fresh garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cups Aged Gruyere

Procedure:

For the Soup:

1. Melt ¼ cup butter in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in thinly sliced onions, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. of pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the onions for 15 minutes. Stir the onions occasionally.
3. Uncover the pan, add ¼ tsp. sugar, and stir. Return to medium heat and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until they achieve a golden brown color.
4. Add 1 T. flour and stir for 3 minutes.
5. Add 2 quarts of beef stock, 1 bay leaf, and ½ cup white wine. Bring the liquid to boil over medium-high heat then reduce heat to simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Set soup aside until ready to serve.

For the Croutons:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Rub each round of French bread with cut garlic. Brush each round with olive oil.
3. Place French bread rounds on a greased baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes. French bread rounds can be based with olive oil during baking. They should be dry, crisp, and brown after baking.

Serving the Soup:

1. Reheat the soup over medium-low heat.
2. Pour individual servings of soup into soup bowls.
3. Place one French bread round in each soup bowl.
4. Top each French bread round with shredded cheese.

Extra Tips and Tricks

This French onion soup recipe is very easy to follow and gets an rave reviews whenever we serve it to family and friends. Here are a few tips and tricks we have found helpful when making this dish.

• Yellow onions work best for this recipe. You will not get the right flavor with sweet onions.
• Do not stir the onions too often during the cooking process. Over-stirring the onions will not allow them to caramelize. To achieve a mellow flavor they must cook for a long time over low heat. Plus, do not try to hurry the onions. Cooking the onions too fast can lead to blackened onions and give the soup a burned and bitter taste.
• It is perfectly acceptable to use canned beef stock or beef broth in this recipe.
• Do not feel obligated to purchase an expensive French white wine for this soup. If you will be having white wine with your dinner use it in the soup. It is always a good idea to cook with a good wine that you also enjoy drinking. A dry Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc will pare nicely with the soup and the meal.
• When preparing the French bread rounds you can substitute powdered garlic if you are out of fresh garlic. Mix a tablespoon of garlic powder with three tablespoons of olive oil and spread on the French bread rounds before placing them in the oven to mimic the fresh garlic taste.
• Grated Swiss cheese or grated Parmesan cheese can be substituted for the aged Gruyere cheese.
• The French bread rounds can be basted with the beef stock from the soup during baking instead of the olive oil.
• French onion soup is normally served with a bubbling cheese crust. To achieve this at home, place finished individual soup bowls on a baking sheet and run under the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
• The soup can be prepared twenty-four hours before serving and refrigerated. To serve, reheat on medium-low and place into individual soup bowls before adding French bread rounds and shredded cheese.

Serve a bowl of French onion soup with a nice salad of fresh greens and balsamic vinaigrette and you have a delicious brunch. A small cup size serving of this soup makes an elegant start to any meal. Bon appetit!