Easy (But Not Quick) French Onion Soup

My husband and I both love French onion soup. We order it often at restaurants (well, unless lobster bisque is on the menu). And I love to make soup. So it's a little surprising that I've never tried making French onion soup at home.

Until today.

Much like risotto, French onion soup is not a difficult recipe, but it is a time-consuming one. It doesn't require any fancy techniques, but there's a lot of stirring for a long time. The results are definitely worth it, though! Here is a step-by-step walk through, but you can scroll down for a brief recipe. I cut the original recipe in half, so it makes 4 servings, but you can double it if you have a large family or if you're cooking for company. I happen to have made beef stock for the first time yesterday, so I used homemade stock, but you can certainly use canned beef stock or reconstituted bouillon.

First, thinly slice 2-3 large yellow (or red) onions, enough to make about 5 cups.

 

In a good-sized stockpot, heat about 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. I happened to have beef fat saved from making my stock, so I used that instead, just for some additional "beefiness."

 

Toss in the onions and stir to coat in the oil and break them up. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Be sure to scoop up the ones on the bottom so all the onions land on the bottom of the pot at some point. This will soften them and decrease their volume, but you should only see a tiny bit of browning at this point. Don't worry if some of the onions are still in a ring shape; they'll fall apart during the next stage.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add another tablespoon of olive oil plus a tablespoon of butter. Cook for another 15 minutes, still stirring frequently, until the onions really start to brown.

  

(At the beginning of this step and at the end - you'll see lots of browned bits but
not a uniform golden brown yet)

Sprinkle the onions with half a teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt and continue to cook for 10-15 more minutes, until nicely browned. It's a good idea to stir a bit more frequently at this step, to make sure everything is browning evenly. Plus, that pot smells heavenly!

 

Once all the onions are uniformly golden, mince a clove of garlic and add it to the pot, stirring and cooking for another minute or so.

Add 1/4 cup dry vermouth and deglaze the pan, scraping the sides and the bottom to remove all the browned bits. You can also use dry white wine, but I think the vermouth adds a nice depth of flavor.

Stir in 4 cups of beef stock and add a bay leaf and 2 teaspoons of dried thyme (or a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme). Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the upper third of the oven.

Slice a loaf of French bread into 1-inch thick slices and lay them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. (I found that using my fingers was easier than using a pastry brush.) Toast in oven until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. (7 minutes was just perfect for me.) The recipe calls for 4 slices, but I had large shallow bowls instead of deep crocks, so I made 6 slices and used some extra Gruyere.

While it's browning, shred 3/4 cups Gruyere. I used not quite half of a 7-ounce block and got more like a full cup, so 3 ounces should be just about right.

Remove the toasted bread from the oven, turn over, and sprinkle with the Gruyere and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan. Press down the Gruyere to keep it in place. Set aside (leaving the oven on) until soup is nearly ready for serving.

When the soup has finished simmering, season to taste with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf. I added about 3/4 teaspoon of salt, but my broth was unsalted, so be careful to taste as you add. Add a tablespoon of brandy if you want to get fancy. I didn't bother this time, but I think with store bought broth or bouillon that hint of richness from the brandy would be nice.

Return the cheese-covered bread to the oven and bake until bubbly and lightly browned. I realized after the fact that I had forgotten to add the Parmesan, so I just sprinkled it on top of the melted Gruyere as soon as it came out of the oven and it melted by the time I served the soup.

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls and top each with a slice (or two, or three) of the bread.

Bon appetit!


COMPLETE RECIPE:

2-3 large yellow or red onions, sliced thinly (about 2 pounds, or 5 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups beef stock (or beef bouillon)
1/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or a few springs of fresh thyme)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
4 1-inch thick slices of French bread or baguette
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere
grated (or shredded) Parmesan

In a large stockpot, heat about 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium, then add the sliced onions and stir to break apart and coat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Increase heat to medium-high and add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring often, until onions start to brown. Sprinkle with the sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and continue to cook until uniformly well-browned, about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the vermouth and deglaze the pan, scraping up and browned bits. Add the beef stock, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, preheat oven to 450 degrees with an oven rack in the top third of the oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil and lay the bread slices in a single layer. Brush with olive oil on both sides. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with shredded Gruyere, pressing down slightly to keep the cheese in place. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Leave oven on.

When the soup is finished simmering, remove the bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste, and brandy, if desired. Ladle into individual serving bowls. Return the cheesy bread to the oven for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden. Float slices on bowls and serve.