One of my favorite soups is french onion soup. Whatever restaurant I go to, if it’s on the menu chances are I will order it. There is just something about the caramelized onions, beef stock, and cheese that I just can’t get enough of. After trying a few different times, I think I finally came up with a recipe that I think tastes pretty darn good.
The first thing you have to do is caramelize the onions. Now, don’t be intimidated by the fact you need to caramelize onions. It does take some time, as you need to do it low and slow, but the end results are so worth it! Here are some pictures so you can see how the onions change over the course of cooking them.
After the onions are caramelized you need to add the beef stock, wine, pepper, salt, and thyme. And I’m telling you you want to spend the little bit of extra money to buy the beef stock instead of the beef broth. I really think the stock adds to the flavor. Just let that simmer on the stove for about 45 minutes.
Now comes the yummy part. Ladle the soup into a bowl and add your croutons. Then top with cheese. The go-to cheese is Gruyere, however when I was looking at the cheese it wasn’t pasteurized (and since I made this soup back when I was pregnant) I ended up using Fontina. The results were still fabulous!
Stick the bowl in your oven and broil until the cheese starts to bubble and turn brown and crusty. Then take out of the oven and enjoy!
The Easiest French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 6-7 sweet onions
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 cups red wine
- 1-2 teaspoons thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- croutons
- fontina cheese
Instructions
- Thinly slice onions and cook over low heat to caramelize. At first you don’t need to stir often, but as they begin to brown stir more often.
- Add beef stock, wine, and spices to pot and let simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls, top with croutons and cheese. Broil on high until cheese just starts to brown.
