I have been craving a proper French Onion soup like the ones I had in Paris 2 years ago. Where the onions are caramelized to rib-sticking unctuousness. I wanted the bread on top of my soup to be thick, soak up the liquid, and so heavily laden with Gruyere that when grilled, it bubbles over the side.
So I made this delicious soup using one of my first two loaves of sourdough bread after nurturing a starter since the beginning of lockdown. All the key elements are in place. This is my to-date best French Onion soup recipe and I cooked part of it in my Instant Pot to speed it up, but you can just as easily let it simmer on the stovetop.
I used two cookbooks as my inspiration for this recipe. The first is Melissa Clark’s Dinner in an Instant and Chad Robertson’s Tartine Bread. The latter is a baking bible for the making of sourdough and a selection of recipes from the famous San Francisco bakery with the same name.
I adjusted the quantities of ingredients from Melissa and used less stock (to keep it more oniony), added more onion (for obvious reasons), more sherry (because this soup needs a decent hit of booze), and a little more fat to get things going at the start.
The Tartine recipe used cream which I loved the sound of, and they added it at the start allowing the Maillard reaction to really set in and get the milk proteins to caramelize. I was a little more cautious with this and added the cream later on, but next time I might allow this to cook a little longer.
When it comes to soup especially one like French onion soup where there are few ingredients, the quality of the stock is important. I was lucky I had frozen farm bone broth and chicken stock from Terra Madre on hand and I loved the combination of beef and chicken here. I would suggest using either chicken or beef stock (or a combination of the two) as it adds a level of richness to this soup.
If you are vegetarian then use a really good quality vegetable stock obviously. If you can get your hands on fresh or frozen stock then all the better and for me, it’s worth going out of the way to source these ingredients as this is not a soup you would make every day.
You can see my list of the best food shops in Cape Town to source suppliers, but off the top of my head, Giovanni’s in Greenpoint, Sans in Sea Point, The Olive Branch Deli in Town, Farmer Angus at Spier, Son of a Butcher in Sea Point & OZCFM, Buyfrsh online deli & Terra Madre in Elgin (online).
More recipes you might like in an Instant Pot:
Vietnamese caramel salmon
Confit duck legs with cherry sauce
Lamb shanks with red wine rosemary and bay
This recipe makes enough for 2 big bowls of French Onion Soup so double up if you want to make more.
A very delicious French onion soup recipe
A classic and delicious French onion soup recipe made on the stovetop and in an Instant Pot.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Cook Time:45 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 large white onions cut to about 3-4mm/ 1/8th inch thick rounds you can slice these in a food processor to make it easier or on a mandolin
- 1 large sprig of Thyme
- 1 tsp flour
- ¼ cup pale dry sherry you could use ½ cup dry white wine instead
- ½ cup cream
- 750 ml good quality chicken stock or bone broth or half beef and half chicken
- Salt & white pepper I love white pepper here
- 2 thick slices of sourdough or one large slice cut in half it's important to use a sturdy bread here
- 1 clove garlic optional
- ¾ - 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese or a strong local hard cheese such as Dalewood Fromage Hugeonot
Instructions
Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium-large heavy-based pot and sauté the onion with the thyme for about 10 minutes.
Add the flour, season well with salt & pepper and cook for a minute.
Add the sherry to deglaze the pan and cook for a further 1 - 2 minutes.
Add the cream and allow this to cook for about 4 – 5 minutes until it's really thick and most of the liquid has cooked off.
Add 1 cup of stock and cook for about 2 minutes once again scraping down the pot.
To cook in an Instant Pot: Add this mix to the bowl of the Instant pot with the remaining 500ml of stock and cook on high for 10 minutes. Release the pressure manually. Remove the thyme stalk.
To cook on the stovetop: add the remaining 500ml of stock to the pot and carry on cooking this over low heat for about 30 minutes. Remove the thyme stalk.
When you are ready to serve, preheat your ovens grill/ broiler. Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast on either side for about 2 – 3 minutes until it is a light golden colour. Remove and rub the garlic clove over the toast (optional).
Dish up the soup in 2 ovenproof dishes to just below the rim. Place a slice of toast on each soup and then top with the grated cheese.
Place this in the oven about 1/3 of the way down (so not directly under the grill) and grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling and serve. If your oven has a fan and grill setting you can use this combination to keep the soup piping hot.
Servings: 2
Author: Sam Linsell
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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.
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.
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.
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.
What is the best wine to use in French onion soup? ›
Wine is optional to deglaze the pan and add flavour to the soup. I recommend a dry white or red wine, such as a good quality Pinot Grigio/Gris, Sauv Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir. Generally, if you can't drink it, don't cook with it.
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.
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 broth is French onion soup made of? ›
What Is French Onion Soup? French onion soup, or soupe à l'oignon gratinée, is a classic French dish made with caramelized onions and beef stock or broth. The soup is topped with bread and cheese, then gratinéed to rich, gooey perfection.
Why is French onion soup so expensive? ›
First, French onion soup calls for a ton of onions. While onions aren't expensive, there's a lot of labor involved in halving, peeling, and slicing 10, 12, 50, or one billion onions (I don't know how much soup you make).
Why do you put lemon juice in soup? ›
While salt can be added to balance out this richness, using lemon instead will actually be more effective. This is because the acid from the lemon cuts through the fat and balances out the spices. Using lemon zest on top of each bowl is also a great garnish that provides a zesty punch in every bite.
When you are sauteing onions to build flavor as a base for your dish (soup, tomato sauce, you name it), the yellow onion is your friend. That being said, white onions are a totally acceptable substitute for yellow, especially if you're cooking them.
Is French onion soup good for you? ›
Well, you'll be pleased to know that french onion soup is, in fact, a highly nutritious choice. Onions, as part of the Allium family, contain Quercetin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and should not be overlooked as a vegetable when considering your daily 7-a-day.
Do people in France eat French onion soup? ›
It has even become a trendy dish that tourists are eager to try to experience French gastronomy. However, onion soup is in fact not part of French people's daily meals. It was originally meant to be eaten after a family reunion in the middle of the night to cure hangovers…
What is an interesting fact about French onion soup? ›
It is said that it was invented by none other than King Louis XV late one night at his hunting lodge when he was very hungry. When he only found onions, butter, and champagne in the pantry, he decided to use the three ingredients to make the French onion soup for the very first time.
What is the etiquette for eating French onion soup? ›
With such a soup, a knife is your friend, not your enemy. Using both the soup spoon and the knife, push the baked cheese against the rim of the cup or bowl and cut it gently with the knife. Once you've broken the cheese barrier, you can use the knife again to nudge bits of cheese onto the spoon.
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 get the most Flavour out of onions? ›
Soak in Vinegar: It only takes about 15 minutes. Soaking raw onions in acid rinses away the harsh flavors and adds pleasant tartness. Soak in Water: Even water washes away those pesky sulfuric flavors. A quick 15-minute soak does the trick.
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.
How do you get the depth of Flavour in vegetable soup? ›
You can also add tomato paste or fresh or dried herbs like oregano or thyme. Starchy root vegetables like potato, parsnips, turnips and swede will add body to the soup and turn it into a true meal in a bowl. Using a good-quality stock (or making your own) will enhance the flavour of the soup.
