Easy French Onion Soup

5 from 3 votes

This easy French Onion Soup is one of the best soups in the world! The traditional dish makes a simple and delicious meal on a chilly day!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine French

Keyword best french onion soup recipe, easy french onion soup, French Onion Soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 293kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and saute 10 minutes more.
Add the thyme and 1 cup of the beef broth. Deglaze the pan, stirring to loosen the cooked pieces on the bottom. Add the remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard bay leaf.
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. While the soup is simmering, arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven just until barely browned (about 5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
Switch the oven to the broiler. Place oven-safe soup bowls on a rimmed baking sheet. Ladle soup into the bowls. Top each bowl with 2 slices of toast and sprinkle with about ¼ cup of cheese. Place on an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Keep a close eye on the broiler so that the bread and cheese don’t burn.

Be patient and allow plenty of time for the onions to soften and cook over medium heat. The caramelization process brings out the natural sugars in the onions, giving them a sweet flavor and a greater depth of flavor.
Choose a high-quality crusty bread (such as a French baguette) for topping your soup. It only needs to be toasted lightly, because it will go under the broiler and get even darker and crispier on the edges.
Keep a close eye on the soup while it's under the broiler, since the bread and cheese can burn quickly.
Garnish each bowl with fresh herbs for a bright, colorful touch. Good options include thyme, parsley, rosemary, or chives.
I prefer the rich flavor of beef broth in this recipe, but you can also make French Onion Soup with chicken broth.
If you like wine in your soup, replace ½ cup of the broth with a good, dry wine of your choice. White or red will work, so see my suggestions above.
Instead of the balsamic vinegar, try adding a splash of dry sherry at the end of cooking.
In lieu of Vidalia onions, you can use yellow onions for a less sweet taste, or red onions for a bolder, zestier flavor.
A variety of cheeses work well for this recipe. Try Comte Gruyere, Gruyere, provolone, Swiss, Gouda, and Parmesan.