Best Best French Onion Soup Recipes

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THE BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP



The Best French Onion Soup image

This bistro classic is deceptively easy to make. It just takes a little time and a few good ingredients. We found that yellow onions, also known as Spanish onions, work best for this recipe. They have a nice balance of sweetness and bitterness and caramelize perfectly. Just don't take them too dark -- a nice golden brown is perfect. Good beef broth also makes a big difference. If you can't make your own, look for a high-quality prepared variety.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     appetizer

Time 1h55m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (see Cook's Note)
3 bay leaves
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dry white wine
8 cups low-sodium beef broth
8 slices French-style baguette (about the size of the top of the soup crocks)
4 cups coarsely shredded Gruyere (about 2 pounds)

Steps:

  • Melt the butter in a very large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and light golden-brown, about 1 hour. (The onions will begin to stick to the bottom of the pan and turn brown after about 30 minutes; just keep scraping them up and stirring them into the rest of the onions. If they are browning to quickly, lower the heat.)
  • Add the wine to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until it has almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors come together and the soup is rich, about 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep the soup warm on a low burner or cool completely and refrigerate to reheat later. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
  • Preheat the broiler. Place four soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet and fill them about 3/4 of the way with hot soup. Float a slice of baguette on top of each and cover with 1/2 cup Gruyere. Broil until the Gruyere is golden brown (don't be alarmed if some soup bubbles out), 2 to 3 minutes.

BEST EVER FRENCH ONION SOUP



Best Ever French Onion Soup image

Make and share this Best Ever French Onion Soup recipe from Food.com.

Provided by 2Bleu

Categories     Clear Soup

Time 1h40m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 tablespoons butter
4 large Spanish onions, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
9 cups beef broth
3/4 cup red wine
3 tablespoons brandy
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 slices French bread, 1/2-inch thick
4 -6 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded (or mozzarella)

Steps:

  • SOUP: In dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and salt, cover and cook until softened, stirring occasionally about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook until caramelized, about 30 minutes more.
  • Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, partially covered about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Cool and refrigerate till next day.
  • CROUTON BREAD SLICES: Preheat oven to 375°F Mix olive oil with garlic powder and brush both sides of bread slices with the oil mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake 12 minutes, turning once, until bread is slightly toasted. Set aside.
  • TO SERVE: Preheat broiler. On stovetop, heat soup to a simmer. Ladle soup into 4 broiler safe bowls. Top with french bread slices and cheese. Place bowls on baking sheet and broil 4" from heat until cheese is bubbly. about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
  • PASTRY PUFF VARIATION: Preheat the oven to 400°F Roll out one sheet of puff pastry and sprinkle with half the Gruyere cheese, fold into 3 and roll out again. Cut out 4 lids. Divide the soup among ovenproof soup bowls. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of soup and cover with the pastry lids with a little egg wash seal. Bake the soup in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheesy puff pastry is golden in colour and well risen.

FRENCH ONION SOUP FROM COOK'S (COOKS) THE NEW BEST RECIPES



French Onion Soup from Cook's (Cooks) the New Best Recipes image

A pretty easy version I found was doubly rewarding by using homemade broths/stocks, which isn't necessary, but I opted for them. Apparently, Cook's Illustrated has TWO versions of French Onion Soup and I didn't see this one posted. We really enjoyed this; it's one of my favorite soups, but when I order it out, I MUST have the cheese topping BURNT. Not brown, not even very dark brown.... BLACK. Invariably the chef gets nervous and lets it go out spotty medium brown and, because of the production I make when ordering, the waiter/ress knows it's not dark enough, so they apologize and bring it back to the kitchen before I even say anything. *lol* This is one of the messiest soups to eat because of the strinnnnngy stretchy cheese, but if it's burnt to a crispy, it's SO worth looking like an imbecile for! From: The New Best Recipes and America's Test Kitchens

Provided by Sandi From CA

Categories     Onions

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 medium red onions (about 3 pounds, sliced thinly)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine (can use white in a pinch)
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt
black pepper
1 baguette, cut on the bias into 3/4-inch thick slices, 2 slices per bowl
sharp provolone cheese (1/16-inch thick) or emmenthaler cheese (1/16-inch thick)
grated asiago cheese

Steps:

  • Melt the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the slice onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir to coat the onions thoroughly with butter.
  • Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are reduced and syrupy and the inside of the pot is coated with a very deep brown crust, 30 to 35 minutes. Adjust heat to ensure that onions and crust is browning, not burning.
  • Stir in the chicken and beef broths, red wine, parsley, thyme and bay leaf, scraping the pot bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, to blend the flavors.
  • Remove and discard the herbs (parsley, thyme and bay leaf). Stir in the balsamic vinegar and
  • Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position. Heat the broiler and optionally toast baguette slices. Remove and set aside.
  • Set oven-safe crocks or bowls on a baking sheet.
  • Fill each dish with soup, about 1 1/2 cups. Top each bowl with 2 baguette slices and cover with a single layer of the provolone or Swiss cheese. Sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp of the asiago.
  • Broil until well browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
  • Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 326.5, Fat 7.6, SaturatedFat 3.4, Cholesterol 10.2, Sodium 536.3, Carbohydrate 51.7, Fiber 3.6, Sugar 4.5, Protein 12.3

BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP - COOKS ILLUSTRATED



Best French Onion Soup - Cooks Illustrated image

Categories     Vegetable     Winter     Dinner     Braise     Fry

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 pounds Onions, halved and sliced through the root and into 1/4 inch-thick pieces
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 teaspoon Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing
1/2 cup Dry Sherry
4 cups Low Sodium Chicken broth
2 cups Beef broth
6 sprigs Fresh Thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine
1 l Bay Leaf
1 loaf Baguette, small, cut into 1/2 inch slices
8 ounces Gruyere Cheese, shredded (2 cups)

Steps:

  • 1. FOR THE SOUP: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously spray inside of Dutch oven with vegetable oil spray. Add onions, butter, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cooke, covered, for 1 hour (onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
  • 2. Carefully remove pot from oven (leave oven on) and place over medium-high heat. Cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and oniobns brown, 15-20 minutes (reduce heat to medium if onions brown too quickly). Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until bottom of pot is coated with cark crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. (Scrape any browned bits that collect on spoon back into onions.) Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates, about 5 minutes.
  • 3. Stir in 2 cups water, chicken broth, beef brot, thyme, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any finalbits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • 4. FOR THE CHEESE CROUTONS: While soup simmers, arrange baguette slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake until bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, aout 10 minutes. Set aside.
  • 5. TO SERVE: Adjust oven rack 7 to 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set 6 broiler-safe crocks on rimmed baking sheet and fill each with about 1 3/4 cups soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do ot overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyere. Broil until chese is melted and bubbly around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP - AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN



BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP - AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Soup
3tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
6large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices (see illustration below)
Table salt
2cups water, plus extra for deglazing
1/2cup dry sherry
4cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
2cups beef broth (see note)
6sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
1 bay leaf
Ground black pepper
Cheese Croutons
1small baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)
Instructions
For the soup: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously spray inside of heavy-bottomed large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Place butter in pot and add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour (onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat. Using oven mitts to handle pot, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing heat to medium if onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until pot bottom is coated with dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. (Scrape any fond that collects on spoon back into onions.) Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.

Steps:

  • 3. Stir in broths, 2 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper. 4. For the croutons: While soup simmers, arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in 400-degree oven until bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside. 5. To serve: Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 3/4 cups soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Triple Deglaze Most recipes for French onion soup call for deglazing--loosening the flavorful dark brown crust, or fond, that forms on the bottom of the pot-only once, if at all. The secret to our recipe is to deglaze the pot at least three times. Halve onion pole to pole, cut off root end of onion, then peel. Place flat side of onion on work surface, then slice from pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)



Best French Onion Soup (America's Test Kitchen) image

Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, will make this recipe overly sweet. Be patient when caramelizing the onions in step 2; the entire process takes 45 to 60 minutes. Use broiler-safe crocks and keep the rim of the bowls 4 to 5 inches from the heating element to obtain a proper gratinée of melted, bubbly cheese. If using ordinary soup bowls, sprinkle the toasted bread slices with Gruyère and return them to the broiler until the cheese melts, then float them on top of the soup. For the best flavor, make the soup a day or two in advance. Alternatively, the onions can be prepared through step 1, cooled in the pot, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe. From America's Test Kitchen. http://bit.ly/VQoIRX

Provided by DrGaellon

Categories     Onions

Time 3h45m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
6 large yellow onions, halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 4 pounds)
table salt
2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing
1/2 cup dry sherry
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
1 bay leaf
ground black pepper
1 small baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces shredded gruyere cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)

Steps:

  • Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously spray inside of heavy-bottomed large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Place butter in pot and add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour (onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
  • Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat. Using oven mitts to handle pot, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing heat to medium if onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until pot bottom is coated with dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. (Scrape any fond that collects on spoon back into onions.) Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in broths, 2 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper.
  • While soup simmers, arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in 400-degree oven until bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
  • Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 3/4 cups soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 330.3, Fat 19.4, SaturatedFat 11.3, Cholesterol 56.9, Sodium 510.3, Carbohydrate 19.7, Fiber 2.7, Sugar 7, Protein 17.8

BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP



BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP image

Categories     Herb

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Soup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 3 pieces
6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices (see illustration below)
Table salt
2 cups water , plus extra for deglazing
1/2 cup dry sherry
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
2 cups beef broth (see note)
6 sprigs fresh thyme , tied with kitchen twine
1 bay leaf
Ground black pepper
Cheese Croutons
1 small baguette , cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)

Steps:

  • 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400F. Spray inside of 7+ qt Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Place butter in pot and add onions and 1t salt. Cook, covered, 1 hr (onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1½ to 1¾ hrs longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hr. 2. Remove pot from oven and place over med-high heat. Cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown, 15-20 mins, reducing heat to medium if onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until pot bottom is coated with dark crust, 6-8 mins, adjusting heat as necessary. Stir in ¼c water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6-8 mins. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until sherry evaporates, about 5 mins. 3. Stir in broths, 2c water, thyme, bay leaf, and ½t salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper. 4. While soup simmers, arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in 400-degree oven until bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges. 5. Adjust oven rack 6" from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1¾c soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 mins. Let cool 5 mins before serving.

THE BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP!!



The Best French Onion Soup!! image

I love this soup! I could eat the whole thing! This tastes like what you would eat at a nice restaurant!

Provided by Jessica K

Categories     < 60 Mins

Time 50m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 -4 cups onions, sliced fine, into rings
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 (14 ounce) can good beef stock
salt and cracked pepper, to taste
1/8-1/4 cup cooking sherry
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 slices crusty bread
1/8 cup melted butter, garlic powder (to taste)
6 slices provolone cheese (or swiss cheese)
6 teaspoons shredded monterey jack cheese

Steps:

  • Saute onions in butter in a dutch oven. If not enough butter add more, 2 TB at a time until enough. Cook over med-high heat until onions begin to brown and caramelize. Add brown sugar, add stock and mix well. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 minute season with salt and pepper. Add sherry and Worcestershire. If not enough liquid add some water using the beef stock can.
  • Make bread croutons. Heat oven to 350°F Cut bread to fit soup cups and place bread on cookie sheet. Drizzle with butter-garlic mixture and bake till crispy, about 7-10 minute.
  • Put soup into soup cups (ovenproof bowls) and put bread slice on top of each. Top each with slice of cheese. Then top each slice with heaping tsp of shredded jack cheese. Set soup cups in oven on cookie sheet and broil for 1-3 min or till cheese melts.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 517.7, Fat 21.8, SaturatedFat 13, Cholesterol 51.9, Sodium 1038.8, Carbohydrate 62.1, Fiber 3, Sugar 22.4, Protein 15

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