Five Star French Onion Soup Recipes

RESTAURANT-STYLE FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, and thyme until onions are soft and brown, about 30 minutes. Pour in red wine and sherry; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until you can no longer smell alcohol cooking off, about 15 more minutes.
• Sprinkle onion mixture with flour and stir until coated; cook for 10 minutes. Pour in broth, stir to blend in flour, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) while soup is simmering. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
• Toast the baguette slices in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, turning the bread over halfway through cooking. Remove toast and set aside.
• Set an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and turn on the oven's broiler.
• Ladle soup into 6 oven-proof crocks, filling them about 3/4 full. Place 1 or 2 bread slices into the bowls and top each with a slice of Swiss cheese and a slice of provolone. Carefully place filled crocks onto a sturdy baking sheet.
• Broil soup until the cheese is browned and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, 45 to 55 minutes. In the beginning, you will only need to stir the onions only occasionally. As they start to brown midway through cooking, you will need to stir them frequently, scraping the fond (the brown particles) from the bottom of the pan. If the onions are browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly or add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and continue cooking.
• Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any fond from the bottom of the pan, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are jammy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
• Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves and add the sherry; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If the soup needs a deeper flavor, try a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. If it's not quite sweet enough, add ¼ teaspoon sugar.
• Adjust an oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on a baking sheet and divide the hot soup among the crocks (be sure the soup is very hot as it won't warm up much in the oven). Top each crock with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère and then Parmigianno Reggiano. Slide the crocks into the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the crocks cool for a few minutes before serving. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each toast slice with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide the soup among bowls and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The soup can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese), or up to 3 months ahead and frozen. Toasts can be made (without the cheese) and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.

FIVE STAR FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Add the flour and stir until well blended. Add the black pepper, bay leaf, and paprika. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture cook for 10 minutes. While stirring, slowly add the beef stock and wine. Let the mixture simmer for 2 hours. Season to taste with salt. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Place in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, return the pan to the stove and heat over medium heat. Remove the bay leaf. Preheat the oven broiler. Place 1 cup of the soup individual oven-proof soup bowls. Top each with a couple slices of French bread and then top the bread with a slice of Swiss cheese. Place the soup bowls under the broiler and let cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browned. Carefully remove the soup bowls from the oven and serve hot. Warn guests that the bowls are very hot.

THE BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a very large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and light golden-brown, about 1 hour. (The onions will begin to stick to the bottom of the pan and turn brown after about 30 minutes; just keep scraping them up and stirring them into the rest of the onions. If they are browning to quickly, lower the heat.)
• Add the wine to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until it has almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors come together and the soup is rich, about 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep the soup warm on a low burner or cool completely and refrigerate to reheat later. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
• Preheat the broiler. Place four soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet and fill them about 3/4 of the way with hot soup. Float a slice of baguette on top of each and cover with 1/2 cup Gruyere. Broil until the Gruyere is golden brown (don't be alarmed if some soup bubbles out), 2 to 3 minutes.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
• Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions all at once and a small splash of water. Season the onions with salt and pepper. Bring the onions to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce the heat if the onions begin to cook too fast. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. (If you want a sweeter soup, continue to cook the onions until they caramelize to the richness of your preference.)
• Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sherry and cook for a few minutes longer. Add the beef stock and bring to a very low simmer; simmer for about 35 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler to finish the soup.
• Add the thyme to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the herbs.
• Ladle the soup into 4 soup crocks. Cover each crock with 2 slices of cheese and some croutons, then top with the shredded Gruyere. Transfer the crocks to a baking sheet and place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened, 10-13 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook 2 minutes longer., Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper and salt; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush both sides with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Bake until toasted, 3-5 minutes on each side. Rub toasts with halved garlic. , To serve, place twelve 8-oz. broiler-safe bowls or ramekins on baking sheets; place 2 toasts in each. Ladle with soup; top with cheese. Broil 4 in. from heat until cheese is melted.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft.
• Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don't burn.
• Add the garlic cloves for the final few minutes of the onions' cooking time, then sprinkle in the plain flour and stir well.
• Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the beef stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins.
• To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls.
• Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the gruyère. Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can cook the toasts under the grill, then add them to the soup to serve.

SLOW COOKER FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir onions until they become translucent, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle onions with sugar; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are soft and browned, at least 30 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir sherry into onion mixture and scrape bottom of pot to dissolve small bits of browned food from the pot. Transfer onions into a slow cooker and pour in beef broth. Season to taste with sea salt; stir in thyme and bay leaf. Cover cooker, set on High, and cook 4 to 6 hours. If desired, set on Low and cook 8 to 10 hours.
• About 10 minutes before serving, set oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet.
• Broil bread slices until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Combine Gruyere, Emmental, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses in a bowl, tossing lightly. Fill oven-safe soup crocks 3/4 full of onion soup and float a bread slice in each bowl. Top with about 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture per serving.
• Place filled bowls onto a baking sheet and broil until cheese topping is lightly browned and bubbling, about 2 minutes.

FIVE-ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add shallots, all onions and leek; saute until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Add 1 T. garlic and cloves; saute 1 minute.
• Stir in broth and Sherry, bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Preheat broiler.
• Combine 2 T. melted butter and 1 t. garlic in a small bowl.
• Place bread on baking sheet and brush with half of garlic butter.
• Broil bread until lightly toasted; about 2 minutes. Turn over and repeat this step.
• Sprinkle bread with parmesan cheese.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Ladle soup into oven safe bowls.
• Top each bowl with 1 toasted bread slice, 1 slice of swiss and 1 slice of mozzarella.
• Bake until soup is hot and cheese melts; about 10 minutes.

MICHAEL RULMAN'S TRADITIONAL FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Place a 7 1/2-quart enameled cast-iron pot over medium heat; melt butter. Add onions and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt; cover, and cook until onions have heated through and started to steam. Uncover and reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, until amber and cooked down, about 3 hours. Season with pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 degrees.
• Place bread slices on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Let dry completely, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add 6 cups water to pot with onions; increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Immediately reduce heat to low. Add sherry; season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of vinegar, if desired, to cut sweetness. For more depth of flavor add a splash of red wine, if desired.
• Preheat broiler. Divide soup evenly among 4 to 6 ovenproof bowls; top with toasted bread. Divide cheese evenly among bowls. Transfer bowls to broiler; broil until cheese is melted and browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.