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FRENCH ONION SOUP
cook:
2 h 30 min
7,946,888 views French onion soup can be a little fussy, time-consuming, and tear-inducing, but if you've got a few hours on a rainy Saturday, there are few better ways to spend it than in the pursuit of this classic, comforting gratineé.
4 Servings
US
original
metric
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs Spanish onions
6 cups high quality beef stock (or amped up store bought stock, see below)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1 cup dry sherry
soy sauce, optional
fish sauce, optional
day old French baguette, for topping
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Gruyere cheese, shredded, for topping
For the Amped Up Store Bought Stock
1 bunch parsley
3 large carrots, sliced
thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 bay leaves
sprinkle of peppercorns
2 cloves, optional
parmesan cheese rind
chopped chives, for garnish
TOOLS
Chef’s knife
cutting board
stock pot
measuring cups and spoons set
mini prep bowls
Dutch oven
wooden spoon
strainer, if needed
oven
ladle
broiler safe cups or mini crocks
rimmed baking sheet
DIRECTIONS
1.
For the Soup
1.
Begin by preparing your onions. Peel them and then cut in half from pole to pole - through the root and stem. Remove the tough root part by cutting it away with your knife. Then thinly slice them pole to pole - like cutting with the grain of the onion. This gives the slices more structural integrity so that they stand up to the slow cooking method.
3 lbs Spanish onions
Chef’s knife
cutting board
2.
Repeat this process with the rest of the onions.
3 lbs Spanish onions
Chef’s knife
cutting board
3.
Next prepare your stock. Ideally you would use homemade beef stock, but you can also “soup” up a store bought version.
6 cups high quality beef stock (or amped up store bought stock, see below)
stock pot
4.
For the Amped Up Stock
1.
Add your beef broth to a stock pot and bring to a simmer. Add aromatics like parsley, sliced carrots, thyme sprigs, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, and parmesan rind. Let it simmer for 1 hour.
6 cups high quality beef stock (or amped up store bought stock, see below)
1 bunch parsley
3 large carrots, sliced
thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 bay leaves
sprinkle of peppercorns
2 cloves, optional
parmesan cheese rind
stock pot
2.
For the Soup
1.
In a large Dutch oven drizzle olive oil and let heat up for one minute. Dump in the sliced onions. It will look like way too many, but just trust me.
3 tbsp olive oil
3 lbs Spanish onions
Dutch oven
2.
Slowly caramelize the onions over medium heat. Keep them moving constantly, and scrape down the sides of the pot.
3 lbs Spanish onions
Dutch oven
wooden spoon
3.
The onions are done when they are soft, jammy, and caramelized with a lot of fond on the bottom of the pot.
3 lbs Spanish onions
Dutch oven
wooden spoon
4.
Add flour to the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2 tbsp flour
3 lbs Spanish onions
Dutch oven
wooden spoon
5.
Deglaze the pot with dry sherry and cook, scraping up fond from the bottom of the pot.
1 cup dry sherry
Dutch oven
wooden spoon
6.
Once the alcohol is cooked off, add the beef broth. Make sure to strain it first if you added aromatics.
6 cups high quality beef stock (or amped up store bought stock, see below)
Dutch oven
strainer, if needed
measuring cups and spoons set
7.
Let the whole thing simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors get to know each other.
Dutch oven
8.
Optional: add umami boosters. I like to add a splash of fish sauce and soy sauce to richen the flavors.
fish sauce, optional
soy sauce, optional
measuring cups and spoons set
Dutch oven
9.
Cut thick slices of day-old french baguette. Put them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and top with salt and pepper.
day old French baguette, for topping
3 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Chef’s knife
cutting board
10.
Toast bread in a 400°F oven for 5 minutes.
day old French baguette, for topping
oven
11.
Slice a clove of garlic in half and rub down each piece of bread with the garlic.
1 garlic cloves, halved
day old French baguette, for topping
Chef’s knife
cutting board
12.
Check the soup for salt and pepper and season as necessary.
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
13.
Ladle soup into broiler-safe cups. Top with sliced baguette and shredded cheese.
day old French baguette, for topping
Gruyere cheese, shredded, for topping
broiler safe cups or mini crocks
ladle
14.
Put the bowls onto a baking sheet and put into an oven preheated to broil. Broil at your broiler’s high setting or at 500°F for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.
broiler safe cups or mini crocks
rimmed baking sheet
oven
15.
Garnish with chives and serve and enjoy!
chopped chives, for garnish
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