Soupe à l’Oignon

Name: Soupe à l’Oignon
Cook time: 95 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 kg Yellow Onion, thinly sliced; 60g Unsalted Butter; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 tbsp Plain Flour; 150ml Dry White Wine; 1.2 l Beef Stock, good quality, hot; 2 sprigs of Thyme, fresh; 1 Bay Leaf; 1 loaf of Baguette, about 250–300 g, cut into 12–16 slices and lightly toasted; 200g Gruyère, coarsely grated; Some Fine Sea Salt, to taste; Some Pepper (Black), freshly ground, to taste

This classic Soupe à l’Oignon features deeply caramelized onions simmered in a rich, wine-scented beef broth and finished with crunchy, cheesy baguette toasts. It’s comfort food with a French flair — silky, savory, and topped with bubbling Gruyère for a golden, irresistible crust. Perfect as a starter or a cozy main on a chilly evening.

This classic Soupe à l’Oignon features deeply caramelized onions simmered in a rich, wine-scented beef broth and finished with cru... Show more

Traditional French Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Rating

5.0

Time

1 hr30 min

Price

3,81 €

Calories

843 kcal

one pot

low sugar

comfort food

french

Method

Prep everything

Peel the yellow onions, cut them in half from root to tip, and slice them as thinly and evenly as you can so they cook down at the same rate. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the baguette into 12 to 16 slices, about 1/2 inch thick, and coarsely grate the Gruyère. Set everything within easy reach before you start cooking, because the soup comes together smoothly once the onions are ready.

Toast the bread

Heat the oven to 400° F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until they are lightly crisp and dry but not deeply browned. You want them sturdy enough to sit on the soup without dissolving right away.

Caramelize the onions

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the unsalted butter and olive oil, and when the butter has melted, add the sliced onions with a good pinch of fine sea salt. Cook the onions slowly for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until they collapse completely and turn a deep golden brown. Keep the heat at medium to medium-low so they soften, sweeten, and caramelize rather than scorch.

Cook garlic and flour

Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant. Sprinkle in the plain flour and stir well so it coats the onions evenly, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes more to remove the raw flour taste.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in the dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot well with a wooden spoon to lift all the browned bits. Let the wine bubble for 3 to 4 minutes, until it reduces slightly and no longer smells harshly alcoholic.

Simmer the soup

If needed, warm the beef stock until steaming so it goes into the pot hot. Add it along with the fresh thyme, bay leaf, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes so the flavors meld. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, then taste and add more fine sea salt or black pepper if needed.

Broil the gratin

Heat the broiler to high. Set ovenproof soup bowls or crocks on a baking sheet, ladle in the hot soup, and float 3 to 4 toasted baguette slices on each portion. Pile the Gruyère generously over the top, covering the bread well, then broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and deeply golden around the edges.

Serve carefully

Let the soups stand for 2 minutes before serving, because the bowls and cheese topping will be extremely hot. Bring them straight to the table while the top is still bubbling and stretchy.