French Onion Soup
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- Prep Time 20 minutes
- Total Time 2 hours
- Yield Serves 8
Ingredients
- 10 medium yellow onions (about 4 1/2 pounds), halved, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
For Cheese Toast (Optional)
- 4 slices toasted multigrain bread
- 4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
Directions
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss together onions, oil, sugar, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover tightly with foil; cook until steamed, about 30 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring every 30 minutes, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, 1 to 1 1/4 hours more.
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Transfer onion mixture to a large saucepan (reserve roasting pan); stir in broth and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until liquid has darkened, about 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, deglaze the roasting pan with wine: Place the pan over medium heat; add wine. Scrape bottom of pan with a wooden spoon or scraper to loosen any browned bits. Simmer until reduced and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Pour liquid (and browned bits) into soup. Season with salt and pepper. (If freezing, let cool completely before transferring to airtight containers, leaving 1 inch at top.)
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If desired, make the cheese toast: Heat broiler. Place bread on a baking sheet; top with Swiss cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Cut each slice into four triangles.
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To serve, divide soup among bowls; garnish each with two triangles of cheese toast, if desired.
Cook's Note
To cut onion slices, halve through the root end; peel back skin. Place halves, cut sides down, on cutting board. Trim both ends; thinly slice onion lengthwise. To slice onions quickly, use a food processor fitted with a slicing blade (instead of a knife).
Takes time, but worth it! Both kids under 5 devoured it.
Beef broth in place of the wine.
would love the receipe but we are both allergic to alcohol (can't have the wine) what cant i use in it's place? thanks a bunch!
yum
yum
WE USED NO SUGAR, AND INSTEAD OF BREAD WE SLICED A LARGE MUSHROOM AND PLACED IT ON TOP WITH CHEESE OVER IT AND HEATED IN BROILER UNTIL CHEESE MELTED. OH SO GOOD
I wouldn't make this again. It took at least 3 hours and though it was close to be a good french onion soup something was amiss. The consistency was too watery and the soup way too sweet. I would say it serves 8 people though.
update: husband really likes recipe, however, didn't give quite 3 servings (our bowls are 12 oz)
I'm not sure where the 'serves 6' comes from, 'cause I got enough for 3 bowls. Maybe my bowls are bigger. I didn't use the sugar and plain brown onions and it is just wonderful. We also put our toasted bread with cheese on the bottom of the bowl, which is tasty as the soup soaks the bread better that way.
This soup is very easy to make, and also very delicious! I recommend this recipe whole-heartedly and hope you enjoy it, too.
Absolutly loved the soup!!!!!!!
I used lightly toasted italian bread and sliced provolne cheese, it really was good
Making it tonight for the second time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS I like the fact it uses chicken broth, I don't eat red meat.finally French Onion soup again
This is such an easy recipe....and even yummier the next day after it has sat for a day. The flavor is much more rich. I agree, the chicken broth is much better choice as its not so harsh and metallic tasting.
I have a very similar recipe it also calls for chicken broth. The explanation was beef broth will sometime give the soup a off or metallic taste. Caramelizing the onions in the oven is great so you do not have to watch over the stove for 45min. You can also try cooking the onions in the microwave about 20 min. and then go to the stove. The flavor is not quite as rich but it speed up the process.
You can also use vegetable broth for the vegetarians in your life. Browning the onions well with the sugar helps with the color.
This is the BEST Onion Soup EVER! And - Yes - You use Chicken Broth - for some reason it works!
I'm surprised at the chicken broth too. I've always made french onion with beef broth.
It says above to use chicken broth. Fallenrain
Yeah..Is that right? Whoever's made it, did they use chicken broth or beef broth?
Method does sound easy- can't wait to make it---one question- doesn't Onion soup use beef broth instead of chicken?
This soup is absolutely amazing!!!! It's the only recipe I can find that roasts the onions in the oven first!! Trust me, you'll love it, and your friends and family will want you to make it over and over again!!
January/February 2005 everydayFOOD page 26...bread page 23