This post may contain affiliate links and we will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. Thank you for supporting us!
I LOVE french onion soup! This is definitely the best homemade french onion soup recipe! It is easy to make, it just takes some time to cook. The key is to caramelize the onions. Cooking 4 pounds of onions is going to take a little time. Grab a glass of wine and relax! Save 1/3 of a cup of wine for your soup. You can make half the recipe but it is so good you are going to want extra!
Besides, if you are going to cook down all of those onions you want to know there is more of this delicious soup! I know you think 4 pounds of onions is a lot but they shrink to about 1/4 of the size. Also, we show you how to make this french onion soup vegetarian and vegan! We love giving you options so that the soup turns out perfect for you. It is packed with so much incredible flavor that you’re going to want to make it again and again! I know that we have!
What’s In French Onion Soup?
French onion soup is a warm and delicious soup made mostly of caramelized onions and beef broth. Also, I used wine and balsamic glaze in this recipe to bring it to the next level! Then, I topped it with crunchy bread and melted gooey cheese. I know you are going to love this homemade french onion soup recipe!
How To Make French Onion Soup
This homemade french onion soup is easy to make! First, cut both ends of the onion off. Then, peel the onion and cut it into even slices. The picture shows what the onion pieces should look like. After that, continue this process with the rest of the onions.
In a large non-stick dutch oven, melt the light butter. Then, add the onions, salt, and pepper to the dutch oven and mix.
Next, add the fresh crushed garlic, bay leaves, and sprigs of fresh thyme.
Next, saute and caramelize the onions, stirring and keeping an eye on them as they cook down. This is the longest part of making the soup but it is so worth it. It makes the onions sweet, complex, and delicious!
Once the onions are caramelized, remove the thyme and bay leaves. Then, add the red wine and balsamic glaze. Cook off the alcohol from the wine and add the beef broth. Simmer the broth so that it gains complexity and cooks with the onions.
When the soup is done cooking and reducing, place some of it in an oven-safe bowl and add a slice of baguette to the top of it. Also, add some light gruyere or light swiss cheese to the top. Briefly place the soup in the broiler to melt the cheese and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- How To Make The Best French Onion Soup: This french onion soup recipe is the best! It is packed with so many complex flavors. To achieve the best results when making this soup, make sure to give the onions enough time to completely caramelize. Also, cook off the wine and let the broth reduce. All of this makes for the most amazing and flavorful soup!
- Best Onions To Use: This recipe calls for 4 pounds of onions. I love using white, yellow, and sweet onions for this french onion soup recipe! Sometimes, I like mixing them or just using sweet onions. These are the best onions for french onion soup because they are sweet and add to the complexity of the dish. That is just my preference, but any combination of these onions will work.
- Vegan Option: Want to make this french onion soup recipe vegan? To do this, use vegetable broth instead of beef broth and omit the cheese or use vegan cheese. We love giving you options on how to make this soup your own!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind Of Cheese Is In French Onion Soup?
For this delicious and easy french onion soup recipe, we recommend using light gruyere or light Swiss cheese. Make sure to quickly melt the cheese in an oven-safe bowl in the broiler and keep an eye on it to prevent it from burning. If you don’t have an oven-safe bowl you can sprinkle some cheese on top and enjoy.
Is French Onion Soup Vegetarian?
You can make this homemade french onion soup recipe vegetarian! Just substitute the beef broth with vegetable broth.
What If I Don’t Have Wine Or Balsamic Glaze For The Broth?
I really like the combination of the red wine and balsamic glaze together because it adds sweetness and complexity to the soup. If you don’t have both, use either the 1/3 cup of wine or the 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze.
What Is Balsamic Glaze?
Balsamic glaze is a result of simmering and reducing balsamic vinegar. We like using balsamic glaze because it is more concentrated and sweeter since it has been reduced down. We picked it up at Trader Joe’s and it is great to have on hand for other dishes. It’s delicious on salads and we used it in our tomato basil salad dressing recipe! If you don’t have balsamic glaze, you can substitute it for 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or balsamic fig vinegar.
Other Soup Recipes You Will Love!
- French Onion Chicken Skillet
- Best Ever Roasted Tomato Soup With Basil
- Healthy Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup
- Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Join us on our YouTube channel for recipe videos!
If you try this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating ★★★★★ letting us know how it turns out for you.
EASY FRENCH ONION SOUP RECIPE
Ingredients
- 4 pounds onions, we used yellow and sweet onions
- 2 tablespoons light butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- 1/3 cup red wine, optional
- 2 quarts beef broth
Instructions
- Cut both ends of the onion off. Then, peel the onion and cut it in half. Slice each half into even slices. Continue this process with all 4 pounds of onions.
- In a large non-stick dutch oven, melt the light butter. We used a 7-quart dutch oven. Then, add the onions, salt, and pepper to the dutch oven. Mix the ingredients. Once the onions start cooking down, add the fresh crushed garlic, bay leaves, and sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Saute and caramelize the onions on low to medium heat, stirring and keeping an eye on the onions as they cook down. This is the longest part of making the soup but so worth it. The flavors are sweet, complex, and delicious. You can’t speed up this process of caramelization. Pay attention to the onions as they get closer to the end of the process and when they start to stick and then scrape the bits off the pan. The onions will take 1-2 hours to caramelize. Make sure to leave the lid off the dutch oven the entire time to absorb the moisture from the onions when they cook.
- Once the onions are caramelized, remove the thyme and bay leaves. Then, add the red wine and balsamic glaze. Cook off the alcohol from the wine for about five minutes, stirring the onions. After that, add the beef broth. I like to simmer the broth for at least 20-30 minutes minimum and reduce it a little to intensify the flavors. It is important to simmer it so that the beef broth gains complexity and cooks with the onions. Also, feel free to simmer it even longer.
- When the soup is done cooking and reducing, place some of it in an oven-safe bowl and add a slice of baguette to the top of it. Also, add some light gruyere or light swiss cheese to the top. Briefly place the soup in the broiler to melt the cheese and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. If you don’t have an oven-safe bowl you can sprinkle cheese on top and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cheese: We recommend using light gruyere or light Swiss cheese.
- Best Onions: I love using yellow and sweet onions for this French onion soup recipe!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love onions and this recipe is perfect for making french onion soup! I used smoked Gruyere cheese and it was so yummy!
Thank you so much for the kind words! We are so happy you enjoyed it. We love this one as well!
Love how detailed your easy recipe is to make
Thanks so much
We’re so glad you found the recipe helpful, that’s always the goal! French onion soup is one of our favorites!