French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

Simplify by making overnight caramelized onions. Fill slow cooker with 4-5 lbs sliced onions, pour 1/3 cup olive over the onions & mix well. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 7-9 hours. Yes it does indeed needs to be High. I had my doubts at first, but I've done this probably at least 20 times and the onions cook way down & caramelize beautifully. I haven't tried this yet with my new multi-cooker but plan to try that next using slow cooker function.

When I make French Onion Soup, I cut the bread into crouton sized pieces and then brown them in butter in a large skillet on the stove. I use them in place of the toasted bread. It makes the soup easier to eat--no cutting through hard French bread crusts with a spoon--and I really like the extra flavor imparted by the croutons. And, I save some croutons for the leftover soup.

1 Tbsp of Sherry is a very small amount, it won't add any significant flavour. Also, if Sherry boils for a long time, it completely loses its aroma. I suggest adding 2 tbsp on each individual soup dish just before broiling (that's the way people have fancy consomme in Madrid).

Great and easy recipe. I suggest doubling the onions and mixing in some leeks. Also, since I don't have oven proof casseroles, I toasted the bread with the cheese on top (in toaster oven), and served on regular soup bowls.

I used vegetable stock plus a little soy sauce and a little bit of Worcestershire sauce instead of the beef broth to make it vegetarian. It was amazing! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.

Toast bread first.

If you have it, use bacon fat rather than butter to carmelize the onions. Makes a huge flavor difference.

This soup is marvelous, and perfect for a chilly day. I followed the recipe faithfully and used homemade beef stock. The hardest part for me was slicing those onions. My eyes were tearing so much, I had to put on a scuba mask to finish this step.

Loved this recipe. Finally somebody admits how long it takes to actually caramelize onions! The flavor is wonderful. I did cut the amount of beef broth to 6 Cups, because I agree with other cooks, there were just not enough onions to sustain 8 cups of broth. Next time I will double the onions.

Great flavor but I’d say to double the onions.

Several folks thought the amount of onions called for was insufficient. Note it says “ 3 or 4 large onions ( about 3lbs.). My onions were a little larger then a baseball and it took 9 to yield 3 lbs.

Don't get super hung up on the quantities in recipes. Treat it as more of a basic guideline with orderly steps. It's cooking, not science. This is a really good recipe for this soup. I just used the ingredients listed here in varying quantities and it was fantastic. I really, really, REALLY suggest making your own beef (or other) broth for this. Harris Teeter sells 2 lb. bags of beef bones. I used two bags, boil/rinse, roast, boil/simmer with shallots, garlic, thyme for 5 hours. Fantastic.

Delish and relatively easy. I took the advise of some posters here and added an onion and a leek. I also added a couple tablespoons of brandy with the wine and sherry, and some thyme with the stock. After all the stock was in, I let the soup reduce for 30 min. Oh, and I toasted the bread with butter under the broiler before adding to the soup. YUM!

Broth and stock are used interchangeably in this recipe; they are not the same. Broth is made with vegetables, stock is made with just bones. I think the latter would be best here.

French onion soup is heavily dependent on using good broth. Do yourself a favor and make it. Great recipe.

My husband was a maitre’d at a very nice restaurant when he was young. The chef there used 2 parts beef broth to 1 part chicken broth, and it has a milder flavor. I use 1/3 cup sherry.

I love this recipe! I agree with other reviewers that the more onions the better and be generous with the sherry. I’m not sure what type of onion may be best. Next time I make this I may blend Yellow, red and sweet onions. (Yellow and red may have a stronger flavor?

I got a job as a prep cook at the Trident in Sausalito. We had a French Chef at this Ultimate Hippie place. I marveled at the way Pierre could print money with French Onion soup. I have not lost my reverence for this soup. I do make the croutons differently now. I make a dry toast of good white bread, rub it with raw garlic, spread it with butter and grated real Gruere lightly then toast it dry again. High flavored much lower fat dip the toast in the soup to stay crisp.

I use half beef stock and half chicken stock. I'm going to try it using a dark beer instead of red wine.

I have used a Wok before to caramelize the onions and it works well. 90 minutes for full glorious caramelization. I also add cognac to deglaze the pan instead of sherry for a deeper flavor profile. For a lighter, vegetarian version, I add fresh thyme and a dash of sage to vegetable broth and it is delightful.

Use high quality beef stock of course. We found that Visalia onions are better.

My father used to make this, but once, because a bottle had been mislabeled, used kummel instead of cognac. The caraway flavor was great and that became the standard recipe.

The French bistro in Georgetown where I bartended my college years made a good onion soup with three cheeses melted together on top: provolone, Gruyère, and mozzarella.

Probably heresy, but I like to add a spoon of Dijon mustard with the wine...

How can the cook time be one hour and 30 minutes and the total time be one hour and ten minutes?

I've made this several times. I have to quibble with the instruction to use grated cheese. Under the broiler, the gruyere always disintegrates or disappears. A better and more dependable crust is created by using strips or layers of cheese. Otherwise, it sinks into the broth.

1. While caramelizing the onions, when the bottom of the dutch oven gets caramelized (but not burned) add 1/4 C. water, the repeat this step 3 or 4 times as the bottom of the dutch oven caramelizes again. It re-liquifies the caramel and results in a richer soup. It's chemistry. The last time you do this, use 1/4 C white wine rather than water.2. I prefer ruby port to sherry.3. Add a sprig or three of thyme and a bay leaf when simmering. Dispose of both before serving.

Definitely double the onions. Try with corn cob broth and Worcestershire. It’s better than the traditional way.

Toast the bread & cheese then add to soup and broil. This soup is delicious.

Bovril (beef stock + similar water liquid added) elevates the recipe to speechless.