---
comments: true
tags:
  - soup
  - french
  - cooks-illustrated
---
# :onion: French Onion Soup

![French Onion Soup](../assets/images/french-onion-soup.jpg){ loading=lazy }

| :fork_and_knife_with_plate: Serves | :timer_clock: Total Time |
|:----------------------------------:|:-----------------------: |
| 6 | 0 minutes |

## :salt: Ingredients

- :butter: 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- :onion: 4 lbs onions
- :salt: 1 tsp salt
- :candy: 1 tsp sugar
- :wine_glass: 1 cup dry red wine
- :stew: 8 cups [vegetable broth][1]
- :herb: 4 sprigs thyme
- :fallen_leaf: 2 bay leaves
- :salt: 0.5 tsp pepper
- :salt: 0.5 tsp salt
- :baguette_bread: 6 oz baguette
- :olive: 3 Tbsp olive oil
- :salt: 0.25 tsp salt
- :salt: 0.25 tsp pepper
- :cheese: 1 cup Gruyère
- :cheese: 0.5 cup Parmesan

## :cooking: Cookware

- 1 Dutch oven
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
- 1 12-ounce ovensafe crocks
- 1 rimmed baking sheet

## :pencil: Instructions

### Step 1

Be patient when caramelizing the onions; the entire process takes 55 to 70 minutes. If you don't have ovensafe soup
crocks, form six individual piles of croutons on a baking sheet, cover them with the cheese, and broil them on the
middle oven rack until the cheese is melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Then use a spatula to transfer the crouton portions to the
individual filled soup bowls.

### Step 2

Melt unsalted butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in halved and sliced thin onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and
sugar. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions release their liquid and are uniformly translucent, about 20
minutes.

### Step 3

Uncover and cook until liquid has evaporated and browned bits start to form on bottom of pot, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce
heat to medium and continue to cook, uncovered, until onions are caramel colored, 30 to 40 minutes longer, stirring and
scraping with wooden spoon as browned bits form on bottom of pot and spreading onions into even layer after stirring.
(If onions or browned bits begin to scorch, reduce heat to medium-low.)

### Step 4

Stir in dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in
[vegetable broth][1], thyme sprigs, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to high and
bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

### Step 5

While onions simmer, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Toss baguette, olive oil, remaining
1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and bake until
golden and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 500°F.

### Step 6

Set six 12-ounce ovensafe crocks on second rimmed baking sheet. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves and season soup with
salt and pepper to taste. Divide soup evenly among crocks (about 1-1/2 cups each). Divide 1 cup Gruyère evenly among
crocks, top with croutons, and sprinkle with remaining Gruyère, then Parmesan. Bake until cheeses are melted and soup
is bubbly around edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

## :link: Source

- Cook's Illustrated

[1]: <../ingredients/vegetable-broth.md>