French onion is a classic soup which I now consider to be one of my favorite soups. The recipe is fairly simple but it takes a fair amount of time and effort to create the perfect french onion soup. It consists of caramelized onions in a beef and red wine flavored broth topped with a slice of toasted bread and melted gruyere cheese. A delicious soup for cold, winter evenings! The key to making a good french onion is the length of time used to melt the onions. I like taking several hours to caramelize the onion until it is melt-in-your-mouth tender and golden brown. The one challenge I discovered early on was chopping 8 lbs of onions–I was crying the whole time! Apparently there is an enzyme in onions that creates an acidic gas when cut and gets in the eyes. I was grateful that this soup turned out to be more than worth the tears and hours it took to create it.
French Onion Soup
(Makes 8 Servings)
Printable Version
Ingredients:
- 1 stick butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 lbs onions, halved and sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 5 cups beef broth, or vegetable broth
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- salt & pepper to taste
- day old bread, toasted and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- gruyere, grated
- parmigiano reggiano, grated
Directions:
- Melt the butter in a large 10 qt pot over medium-low heat.
- Add the onions and top with the olive oil.
- Cook slowly and covered on low until golden brown, about 4 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions, stir to combine.
- Add the wine and deglaze the pan.
- Add the broth, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil at medium heat.
- Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls and place the bread croutons into the soup and top with cheese.
- Place bowls into the oven until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.