My Favorite Cozy Soup
I don’t think I could’ve picked a better day to share this recipe. I don’t know what kind of warm weather you might currently be blessed with, but my entire yard is covered in a blanket of snow (and it’s still swirling down), I’m curled up under a much warmer blanket beside the fire, it’s frigid outside, and I’m craving comfort food. While I wouldn’t turn down a bowl any time of year, there really isn’t a better way to thaw out after being out in the snow than with a bowl of French onion soup. This is my favorite soup (Zach hates onions and won’t touch it, but it even tops my beloved potato soup and broccoli cheddar soup). Yes, it’s simple, but so flavorful, made with a rich broth, caramelized onions, garlic infused toast and, of course, lots and lots of toasty, melty cheese. Today I’ll walk you through all of the steps and hopefully answer any questions you might have to make sure you have flawless results at home. Make sure you leave a comment (or tag me on Instagram!) and let me know how you enjoy the recipe!
What You Need
French onion soup has contended origins (don’t so many foods!?), but it originated from basic, simple ingredients: some broth (or water), onions, and bread and cheese for the top. Today it remains true to its roots in many ways, using only simple ingredients but carefully orchestrated for maximum flavor. Let’s talk about those ingredients. And that’s it! Serve with your favorite dessert (I recommend banana pudding, Eton mess, or chocolate pie!) or just enjoy by the spoonful! Shout out to all of you food-nerds like myself who read through that whole list! I may have a tendency to over-explain, but when I’m making a recipe I like to know exactly why each ingredient was chosen so I like to share that with you, too! For the full recipe with amounts, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to Cut Onions for French Onion Soup
Because the onions are the key ingredient I wanted to take a moment to discuss the proper way to cut them:
How to Make French Onion Soup
Melt butter in a large soup pot or enameled Dutch oven.Add onions and toss so that every onion slice is coated in a thin layer of butter.Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are dark brown and caramelized. Keep your heat medium at all times; cranking up the heat can result in burnt, bitter onions. This will take at least approximately an hour to do properly but can vary depending on how thick you cut your onions and precisely how large you make your slices and even what pot you are uisng. If your onions start to stick to the pan or you notice brown marks on the bottom of the pan, simply deglaze with a small amount of your beef broth.Once onions are caramelized, add remaining ingredients (broth/herbs) and allow to simmer while you prepare the bread.
Assembly
Slice a baguette into slices approximately 1″ thick. Arrange them on a baking sheet and bake on high heat until lightly toasted. For added richness, lightly brush the bread slices with melted butter before toasting.Rub one toasted surface of each slice of bread with a clove of garlic that you’ve sliced in half (cut-side down, of course). The bread will be hot, so be careful!Portion the soup into a crock then sprinkle a bit of grated over it. Top with your toasted bread and then even more cheese.Arrange crocks on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Cook on high heat until cheese is melty and beginning to brown. Serve and enjoy!
More Cozy Comfort Food:
Lasagna SoupChicken Pot PieChicken Tortilla SoupThe BEST Chili Recipe (25x award winner)
Enjoy! Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
