French Onion Soup with Gruyère (Printable)

Deeply savory soup with caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and melted Gruyère-topped baguette

# Components:

→ Alliums

01 - 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
03 - 3 shallots, thinly sliced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Fats

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Umami

07 - 8 cups high-quality beef broth
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
11 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ Bread & Cheese

13 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
14 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
15 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Seasonings

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
02 - Add the sliced onions, leeks, and shallots. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft and deep golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
03 - Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
04 - Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
06 - Preheat the oven broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with toasted baguette slices and a generous amount of Gruyère and Parmesan cheese.
08 - Place bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
09 - Remove from broiler and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like you're eating at a Parisian bistro but you're actually in your own kitchen in comfortable clothes.
  • Those caramelized onions become something almost unrecognizable—sweet, savory, complex—like they've been transformed by time itself.
  • Watching the cheese bubble under the broiler never gets old, no matter how many times you make it.
02 -
  • Don't rush the caramelization step—those 35 to 40 minutes are when the magic actually happens, and skipping time will leave you with soup that tastes merely okay instead of extraordinary.
  • The beef broth quality matters more than you think, so taste it before you start; if it's thin or bland, your entire soup will be too.
  • Oven-safe bowls are essential, not optional, since the broiler is the final step and regular bowls won't survive the heat.
03 -
  • A splash of sherry or cognac added with the wine deepens the umami even further and adds a subtle sophistication.
  • Make the soup a day ahead and refrigerate it; the flavors develop overnight and it reheats beautifully, then you just add the fresh toast and cheese when serving.
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