Onions slowly caramelized to deep mahogany, simmered in beef stock with white wine, thyme and a splash of brandy, and topped with broiled Gruyère-covered toasts.
A mix of yellow and sweet onions gives an even deeper flavor. No oven-safe bowls? Broil the cheese toasts on a sheet pan and float them on the soup.
Make the soup base up to 4 days ahead or freeze for 3 months; add toasts and cheese when serving.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 lb yellow onions (about 6 large)
- 6 cups beef stock
- 8 oz Gruyère cheese
- 1 baguette
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 lb yellow onions (about 6 large)
- 6 cups beef stock
- 8 oz Gruyère cheese
- 1 baguette
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Caramelize the onions
Melt unsalted butter (4 tbsp) with olive oil (1 tbsp) in the Dutch oven, add yellow onions (3 lb), kosher salt (1 ½ tsp) and granulated sugar (½ tsp), and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until deep mahogany and jammy, about 1 hour.
Equipment: large Dutch oven
Add flour and wine
Stir in all-purpose flour (2 tbsp) and cook briefly, about 2 minutes.
Pour in dry white wine (1 cup), scrape the pot clean, and simmer until mostly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Equipment: large Dutch oven
Simmer the soup
Add beef stock (6 cups), fresh thyme (4 sprigs) and bay leaf and simmer gently, about 30 minutes.
Take the pot off the heat, stir in brandy (2 tbsp) and black pepper (½ tsp), and discard the thyme stems and bay leaf, about 2 minutes.
Equipment: large Dutch oven
Toast the bread
Heat the oven to 400°F and toast the sliced baguette on the baking sheet until completely dry and golden, about 10 minutes.
Rub each toast with the cut side of garlic (1 clove).
Equipment: rimmed baking sheet
Top and broil
Heat the broiler, ladle the soup into the oven-safe bowls set on the baking sheet, and float two toasts on each.
Pile Gruyère cheese (8 oz) over the toasts and broil until bubbling and browned in spots, about 4 minutes.
Equipment: oven-safe soup bowls, rimmed baking sheet
Tomorrow's Meal
French Onion Grilled Cheese
Leftover soup simmered down to a thick onion jam in a skillet, then griddled between buttered sourdough with Gruyère.
Quick overview:
- 1.Simmer leftover soup in a skillet until the liquid is nearly gone and the onions are jammy.
- 2.Spread the onions on buttered sourdough with plenty of Gruyère.
- 3.Griddle in a skillet over medium-low heat until golden and melted.
- 4.Serve with any remaining broth for dipping.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Make the soup base up to 4 days ahead or freeze for 3 months; add toasts and cheese when serving.
- • A mix of yellow and sweet onions gives an even deeper flavor.
- • No oven-safe bowls? Broil the cheese toasts on a sheet pan and float them on the soup.
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