French Onion Soup
By Groceree
Also known as Soupe à l'oignon gratinée
Onions cooked down for an hour until they are jammy and dark, simmered in stock with a splash of sherry, and finished under a raft of toasted bread and melted gruyère.
Last updated
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
Ingredients
onions1 kg
butter50 g
olive oil1 tbsp
sugar1 tsp
plain flour1 tbsp- dry sherry100 ml
beef stock1.2 l
bay leaves1
thyme3 sprigs
baguette1- Gruyère200 g
salt
black pepper
Instructions
- 01
Peel and halve the and slice them thinly. Melt the with the in a wide heavy pan, add the and a good pinch of , cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes so they soften and release their water.
- 02
Uncover, add the and cook over medium-low heat for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the are deep brown and jammy. There is no shortcut here; browned in 15 minutes taste fried, not caramelised.
- 03
Stir in the and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the and scrape the base clean.
- 04
Heat the and add it with the leaf and , then simmer gently for 20 minutes. Season with .
- 05
Meanwhile heat the grill to high. Cut about 12 slices of , 2 cm thick, and toast them until dry and golden. Grate the .
- 06
Remove the leaf and stalks, then ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls, float the toasted on top and cover thickly with the .
- 07
Grill until the cheese is bubbling and browned at the edges. Serve immediately, while the crust is still crisp on top and soaking underneath.
Notes
- A wide pan matters more than a heavy one: the onions need room to evaporate rather than stew.
- Deglaze with sherry, brandy or dry white wine — something is needed to lift the fond, which carries much of the colour and taste.
- Gruyère melts and browns better than cheddar, which goes oily.
- For a vegetarian version, use a dark vegetable stock and a cheese made without animal rennet in place of the Gruyère.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 31 g
Estimated from the ingredients.
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