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French onion soup is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods! It’s warm and simple. Easy and inexpensive to make. Light but still somehow filling. And it’s FULL of health benefits!
I’m always surprised at how many people I run into that haven’t had it or have never tried to make it. It really is so easy.
I honestly don’t remember ever even learning how to make it. I am going to assume it’s something that my mom taught me and I just don’t remember – because I know she made it several times when I was growing up and I ALWAYS loved it! Once I got married and my husband deployed, I ended up making it all. the. time. as an easy single-serve meal for me to eat.
Once I had to revamp my diet and eliminate grains, I became even more thankful that I could still eat french onion soup and now make a big pot of it several times a month!
I never really use a recipe. Therefore, this post is a little informal as far as measurements and such. But let me assure you, it’s really hard to mess up.
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What you’ll need:
Onions. It doesn’t matter what kind, but different onions do have slightly different flavors. I’ve used every imaginable kind, and I still can’t pick a favorite.
Butter
Garlic or garlic powder (if you have it. I’ve made it without plenty of times but definitely prefer it with.)
Beef broth, beef stock, or water and beef bouillon
Worchestershire sauce
Pepper
Cheese of choice
For this batch, I raided the cupboard and pulled out whatever onions I had left:
Your quantities for the rest of the ingredients will depend on how many onions you start with and how big they are. Just estimate and go by what looks good. For this batch of 4 medium sized onions, I used 1 stick of butter.
Slice the onions and garlic and cook them on low-medium heat with the butter, stirring every few minutes:
The longer you cook the onions the more flavor they will have. If they stick a little (or even start to brown or burn), it gives it a nice brown flavor. I had been making onion soup for years before discovering that this process is actually called “caramelizing.”If you are in a hurry, it’s not the end of the world if the caramelizing gets rushed. I’d say normally I let the onions cook for 20-30 minutes. So yes, it takes a bit of time, but you don’t have to stand in front of the stove non-stop. You can work on other things while they are cooking.
The onions really cook down in the caramelizing process. Don’t be alarmed, that’s normal!
Add your beef broth or stock. In a pinch I’ve even used water and beef bouillon cubes. These days, I’m actually making my own homemade beef broth with organic beef bones, which you can actually get for VERY cheap! Homemade bone broth has a TON of other benefits like healing your gut, boosting your immune system, and helping your skin! You can also use whatever is your store-bought beef broth of choice.
For this batch I used my homemade broth – about two Gladware containers full.
Once the broth is added, add your Worcestershire sauce and pepper. I normally don’t measure, but this time I used about 2TBSP of the sauce and it was just about perfect. Taste it, if you want more, add it. Let it simmer for a bit, then go ahead and have a bowl!
I usually keep mine on low or warm heat for a few hours to let the flavors mingle even more, but I never wait more than about 10 or 15 minutes to have the first bowl, because I’m impatient like that.
I always add cheese to mine – any white cheese like mozzarella, provolone, or Swiss. Swiss is definitely my favorite! The cheese gets all melty and helps to make the dish just a little bit more filling!
French onion soup lasts in the refrigerator well for several days and tastes better the longer it sits! It freezes amazingly in both big batches and single serve portions (yet another reason I ate so much of it during deployments)!
I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. (Or not. No one else in my family eats it which means more for me!)
FAQs
A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.
How to fix French onion soup that is too sweet? ›
The sweetness can be balanced by adding some dry wine or vinegar. Taste as you go and don't overdo it. A little salt will balance it too, but don't forget that the grated cheese you will top it with is salty.
Why does French onion soup taste so good? ›
French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food. Onions get slowly cooked until sweet and caramelized, then simmered in rich broth until they're practically falling apart. To finish it off, toasted bread is added to give it that lovable crisp-gone-soggy texture and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese is melted on top.
Why is my French onion soup bitter? ›
The underlying flavor of this soup is the deep umami flavor of the caramelized onions. If you rush this process, the result will be a bitter charred flavor, and if you underestimate and skip this process the flavor will be nowhere near as deep or complex.
What spices add depth to soup? ›
"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.
What can I add to soup for depth of flavor? ›
Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples
Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.
What adds sweetness to soup? ›
Sugar: A pinch of sugar softens the edges of anything that tastes too sour or harsh (looking at you, tomato-based soups).
How do you counteract sweet taste in soup? ›
It may seem too easy, but a few splashes of vinegar really can make your food taste less salty or sweet. The taste of vinegar is strong enough that it helps mask other overpowering flavors, and most soups benefit from a little acidity anyway.
How do you counteract sweetness in a recipe? ›
How to Make Food Less Sweet. Add an acid or seasonings such as vinegar or citrus juice; chopped fresh herbs; a dash of cayenne pepper; or, for sweet dishes, a bit of liqueur or espresso powder.
Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›
The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.
Made slightly thicker than most watered down soups because every mouthful NEEDS a slightly thickened texture to compliment the caramelized onions.
What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›
What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.
How do you fix bitter onion soup? ›
Soaking the onions in cold water for 10 minutes before cooking can help to reduce the unpleasant taste and smell. Additionally, adding a pinch of sugar to the cooking onions can also help to reduce their pungent flavor.
What if I add too much thyme to French onion soup? ›
You can add extra broth, water, milk, cream (depending on the soup's base) to “water-down” the thyme flavor. Adding a neutral grain, such as rice or beans will help absorb it too.
What to do if French onion soup is too salty? ›
Dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream can help balance out the saltiness of a soup or stew.
How to doctor up canned French onion soup? ›
Some fresh rosemary or thyme brings a woody, peppery taste to the soup, complementing the umami flavor of the beef stock. With a splash of balsamic vinegar and green onions or fresh basil as a garnish, the canned soup is transformed from a grocery store original into a gourmet dish.
How do you make soup taste stronger? ›
You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.
How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›
Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup. Stock: I much prefer chicken stock over vegetable stock in terms of flavor, though if you want to keep this soup vegetarian, feel free to use vegetable broth or stock instead.
