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Easy French Onion Soup is loaded with sweet caramelized onions, fresh thyme, beef stock and a big splash of pale lager, then topped with toasted garlic croutons and plenty of strong Gruyère cheese.
It’s unusual for me to praise a bowl of French Onion Soup. It’s never been my favorite, until I finally tasted a great bowl of French Onion Soup! My traveling husband is a bit of a French Onion Soup (snob) connoisseur. He’s experienced many bowls on his travels, but this is some of the best he’s ever had, or so he said 🙂 I don’t have a lot to compare it with, but can attest to the fact that it’s sweet, cheesy, robust and down right delicious!
We adore onions in soups, salads, omelettes, pizza and in all kinds of dishes.
So it’s not a stretch to believe I’d love a big pile of caramelized onions served in a bowl with cheese. The onions are super sweet and silky soft and this recipe is so easy! I did a lot of research, read a lot of reviews and finally ended up borrowing bits and pieces from multiple recipes to make my own. Many recipes call for white or red wine but I found the idea of adding beer very appealing. I used a pale lager (Stella Artois) but your favorite ale would probably be great too.
On occasion, French Onion Soup is served with a thick blanket of cheese melted over the top of a giant piece of bread that completely covers the soup.
My husband said he loved the fact that I only used a few pieces of bread (croutons) which allowed some of the cheese to seep down into the broth. Seeping cheese – bonus! My version of this popular soup is also a little less ‘brothy’ than some. That’s because of all the amazing onions and seeping cheese. This soup is much easier to eat with just a few crouton styled bread slices, but feel free to add more if you want! I think it would be great with a bunch of smaller toasted croutons too … so easy to eat with a spoon.
The thick baguette slices are brushed with olive oil and toasted in the oven until lightly browned on top and bottom.
Fresh garlic is rubbed on the toasted croutons before floating the bread in a bowl of soup. Sprinkle with sliced and grated Gruyère then broil until melted and bubbly. Garnish with a little fresh parsley and dig in!
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Easy French Onion Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large sweet onions, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
- 3 large garlic cloves, divided
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ cup pale lager beer, such as Stella Artois or your favorite ale
- 32 ounces 4 cups beef stock, divided (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 - 5 springs of soft fresh thyme, chopped
- fresh ground black pepper
- salt to taste, if needed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For serving:
- 12 1-inch thick slices of baguette
- Olive oil for brushing
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, 1 slice for each piece of bread, the rest shredded and spread over the top of the bowl
- 3 - 4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- Additional fresh ground black pepper if desired
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and butter to a heavy-bottom large saucepan, warm on medium heat. Add the sliced onions and fresh ground pepper. Cook the onions over medium heat until they are very soft and reduced in volume, about 20 minutes. While the onions cook, mince 2 of the garlic cloves and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, push the onions aside in the pot and add the garlic and brown sugar to the pan. Sauté the garlic until fragrant (about 2 minutes), then mix with the onions. Cook the onion mixture for another 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onions are deep golden brown in color. Do not let them crisp.
- Add the beer, 3 ½ cups of the beef stock, Dijon mustard, bay leaf and thyme to the onions. Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
- Mix the remaining ½ cup of beef stock with the cornstarch. Whisk until blended. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the onion soup, gently stirring to prevent lumps. Season the soup with fresh ground black pepper, check the seasoning and add a little salt if needed. The soup should have thickened slightly at this point. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To serve, brush the baguette slices with olive oil and bake on a cookie sheet until toasted and golden brown. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half. Rub the surface of the toasted baguette slices with the cut side of the garlic. Ladle the soup into 6 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to broil. Float two slices of the toasted baguettes on top of each bowl. Cover the bread with slices of Gruyère. Top the bread and soup with the shredded cheese. Place the bowls of soup under the broiler, watching carefully, until the cheese is bubbly, melted and lightly browned. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- A good mandoline makes quick work of the onions without shedding a tear!
- We used Stella Artois pale lager beer - but your favorite bitter ale will be good too.
- The bowls of soup may be made as needed - serving 2 instead of 6, etc. Gently rewarm the remaining soup when ready, then proceed with toasting the baguettes, etc.
Nutrition
Here are a few more easy soup recipes you might also enjoy:
- Easy Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Tuscan Garlic Tortellini Soup ~ from The Recipe Critic
- Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe ~ from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Broccoli and Potato Soup ~ from RecipeTin Eats
We love our simple mandoline for slicing vegetables – especially onions! (Photo is clickable for more information)
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Have a happy weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Tricia
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I’m like your husband and have tried French onion soup all over the world. Your version sounds delicious…I can see why your husband loves it.
Susan
This recipe will be next on our winter soup rotation, Tricia! Wow, it looks cheesy and delicious. If I substitute Jarlsberg, I think it can make it tonight 🙂 Gorgeous shots!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Susan – let us know how it turns out for you. The Jarlsberg sounds wonderful 🙂
Gingi Edmonds Freeman
I have yet to make a good french onion soup… I think you have just inspired me to try again!!! Thanks for this tasty looking post! <3 – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Tricia Buice
Thank you Gingi – good luck!
Rebecca Blackwell
I made French onion soup for the first time a few weeks ago. I don’t know what’s taken me so long… however, the soup was too rich. It was flavorful and delicious, but we could only take a few bites. I see several things that are different between that recipe and this one – mainly the use of beer in the broth, which I’m thinking adds the natural acidity necessary to counter balance the sweet, caramelized onions. I am definitely going to try this recipe this week! Thank you!
Tricia Buice
Hi Rebecca! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Hope you enjoy this recipe, it is our favorite. I didn’t consider it rich, but it is full of amazing flavor from the caramelize onions. I also think the Dijon mustard helps balance it all out. Enjoy!
Liz Berg
It’s been way too long since French onion soup has been on our menu! I used to always order it at a nearby restaurant—the cheesy crouton is my favorite part. My hubby loves Stella, I’ll have to try it with beer instead of wine 🙂
Tricia Buice
We were very happy with the beer version Liz – hope your husband enjoys it too! Thanks for stopping by.
cheri
Hi Tricia, what a delicious warming bowl of goodness, I see that you added a little brown sugar as part of your caramelizing process. Will have to try that myself. Gorgeous presentation and pics as always. Hope you are having a wonderful 2017.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Cheri – we are having a good year so far 🙂 Can’t believe how fast time is marching on. Have a lovely weekend!
Gerlinde/Sunnycovechef
I am like your husband and appreciate a good onion soup. My favorite being Julia Child’s one. Making her recipe takes forever. Yours looks wonderful and I will try it when I am back home.
Tricia Buice
I’ll have to look up Julia’s recipe – I love her way of loving the food. Hope you’re enjoying your trip!
2 Sisters Recipes
Such a great soup this time of year! Love your photos- Magnificent -as always!!! Compliments to you Tricia every time… xo
Tricia Buice
Thank you so much Anna & Liz. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!
Monique
It is one of my faves Tricia..our recipes are similar.I wish I was not so in a rush for the caramelizing..;)
My son-in -law adds a bit of Dijon and it is stellar..
Tricia Buice
It does take a long time to caramelize onions and I get impatient too. I loved the addition of Dijon – so tasty when combined with the beer. Yummy stuff! Have a great weekend Monique.
Robyn Gleason
Oh my, Tricia, French onion soup is my very favourite of all and it’s when I allow myself to have an obscene amount of cheese. I double, even triple my cheese cos I just can’t get enough of this flavour combo.
Your soup is perfectly delicious looking and just warms the soul to look at it. Gorgeous shots!
Thanks for this reminder. I will make your soup this weekend for football watching!
Tricia Buice
Of all the things I find hard to give up, dairy (yogurt and cheese) are the hardest! It is such a treat for sure. Thank you so much Robyn and good luck on the game this weekend 🙂
Chris Scheuer
I can see why your husband loved this so much Tricia. It looks amazing and your pictures are so… beautiful. I’m ready to run to the store for Gruyere and beer!
Tricia Buice
Aww thanks Chris! I’m really loving soups on these dreary winter days, even though the temperatures have been crazy high for this time of year. Have a wonderful weekend!
Jess Wright @ The Cookbook Obsession
Holy Moly! And I thought my French onion soup was good. This puts mine to total shame. I can’t wait to try this. And that bowl you used is super cute 🙂
Tricia Buice
I bet your soup is wonderful Jess but thanks for the sweet comment. I paid about $1.50 for the bowl at an antique store a ong time ago. I only have one unfortunately because I love it. The blogger’s kitchen is all about one of this and two of that 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
I have a weakness for French onion soup, and this one looks perfect! I love those thick slices of bread covered with the melty cheese ~ this soup is going to be in my dreams tonight 🙂
Tricia Buice
Thanks Sue – we absolutely loved it – and it just would not be the same with the cheesy bread 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
French Onion is one of my favourite soups! I’m pretty sure it’s the cheese 🙂 Your version looks absolutely perfect.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Jennifer! That cheesy goodness seals the deal for me too 🙂
ZazaCook
Wow, this Onion Soup is making my mouth water! My husband is a big fan of French Onion Soup. Can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing, Tricia:)
Your photos are absolutely gorgeous!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Zaza! Men and their onion soup – I hope your husband loves it too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
tanna
I love that your hubby is a connoisseur of French Onion soups. 😉 We all have our “things”. Makes me confident this is an amazing bowl of soup! Thank you, Tricia! Have a wonderful week (I am… visiting here in Ft. Worth with the boys!). blessings and hugs ~ tanna
Tricia Buice
Hey Tanna – have fun with your little men! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Larry
Looks outstanding Tricia and I like mine less brothy. We just made a batch a week or so ago and I also like the cheese melting down into the soup.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Larry – did you use beer in your soup too? I am shocked at how much I love this. Have a wonderful week!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
My mouth is watering just reading the description…and then those amazing photos…Now I am seriously craving some French onion soup!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Angie 🙂 Such a great soup for winter.