There is simply nothing better than a warm bowl of French Onion soup on a cold winter day. Even the process of cooking this soup is cozy from the scent of the caramelized onions and the herbs simmering in the broth. What is also great about this mouthwatering french soup is that all the ingredients are quite basic, but they all come together so well for a luxurious rustic soup.
The key to the flavour is being patient while caramelizing the onions to bring out the rich flavour. I do this on a lower temperate setting and just stir, stir and stir until they are just right. You are also almost guaranteed that they won’t burn.
Traditional French onion soup recipes call for red or white wine, but I decided to try something different. I used a dark ale from one of my favourite local breweries. It resulted in a bolder flavour with more depth. Feel free to use your favourite wine since it will be equally as delicious. I also used a mix of red and white onions just to amp up the flavour.
If you want to reduce some calories or heaviness to the soup, consider reducing the amount of cheese. As you can see from my photo, I don’t have a layer of cheese on the top. Instead, I chose to add some of the grated cheese into the bowl of soup and let it melt and sink to the bottom. That way each spoonful you take, you have a little cheese in every bite.
INGREDIENTS:
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1/2 cup of butter
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4 large onions, sliced
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3 cloves of garlic, chopped
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2 bay leaves
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3 fresh thyme sprigs
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1 cup of dark beer (or wine)
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3 tbsp of flour
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8 cups of beef broth
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salt and pepper to taste
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1 loaf of fresh french bread
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1 cup of a sharp cheese like Gruyere. If your local supermarket does not carry it, you can replace it with Beaufort or Jarlsberg
DIRECTIONS:
On medium heat, melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions until soft and are starting to caramelize by turning the heat to medium-low and stirring every few minutes (for about 25 minutes).
Add in the beer and bring it up to a boil by turning heat to medium-high. Once bubbling, reduce the heat and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates about 5-6 minutes. Fish out the bay leaves, thyme sprigs and discard. Sprinkle the flour on the onions a little at a time and stir well in between. Make sure the heat is on low since you don’t want the flour to burn…it will spoil the taste of the soup. Continue to cook for about 5-6 minutes to make a roux and thicken up the onions and create a sauce like consistency.
Add the beef broth and increase the temperature enough to bring up to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes, but remember to give it a stir every 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste (you don’t need much added salt since the beef broth has you covered).
Slice a few pieces of your french bread and preheat your broiler. Place your sliced bread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Broil until cheese is starting to bubble and the edges of the bread start to turn golden, about 3-5 minutes.
I prefer to cut back on cheese and add a little grated cheese to the bottom of the bowl, add the soup and top with 2-3 prices of the toasted fresh bread.
Best paired with a Pinot Noir or a Gewurztraminer if you want something that will enhance the sweetness of the onions.
Bonne appétit!
Christopher is a food and lifestyle expert, recipe developer and the content creator behind May Eighty Five. With years of experience in the kitchen, he also shares tips, tricks and how to’s that he has learnt over the years. Every week, he shares quick, simple and mostly healthy recipes along with some home and entertaining tips. You will find flavorful cocktails, delicious appetizers, tasty mains and some indulgent desserts. As a home decor enthusiast, he also likes to share simple DIY projects and simple tips for a beautiful home.
