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The Best Easy Classic French Onion Soup with Gruyère Crouton

Close-up of a crock of rich french onion soup recipe topped with a toasted crouton and melted Gruyère cheese.
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This recipe delivers the deep, savory flavor of authentic bistro French Onion Soup, made simple enough for a cozy weeknight dinner. You get deeply caramelized onions, a rich beef broth, and that perfect, bubbling Gruyère cheese crust on toasted baguette.

Ingredients

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  • 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional, substitute with more broth)
  • 8 cups high-quality beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 baguette, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions, salt, and sugar.
  2. Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes. You want them to become deep brown and sweet. Do not rush this step; this creates the rich onion broth flavor. Reduce heat if they start to burn.
  3. Add the minced garlic during the last 5 minutes of caramelization.
  4. Pour in the white wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
  5. Pour in the beef stock. Add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let it cook for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
  6. Preheat your broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Toast them under the broiler until lightly golden on both sides.
  7. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Place one or two toasted baguette slices on top of the soup in each bowl.
  8. Generously cover the bread with grated Gruyère cheese.
  9. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For the deepest flavor, use a high-quality, low-sodium beef stock. This is key for authentic French Onion Soup.
  • If you do not have oven-safe bowls, you can melt the cheese on the bread separately and carefully float the cheesy crouton on top of the soup just before serving.
  • If you want a vegetarian version, substitute the beef stock with a rich vegetable stock and omit the wine.

Nutrition

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