Two bowls of French onion soup, topped with cheese toastie

French onion soup

Name: French onion soup
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 75g butter; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1kg onions halved and thinly sliced; 10 sprigs thyme leaves picked; 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced; 1 tsp caster sugar; 1.5 litres beef stock; 2 tsp Bovril (optional); 4 small slices sourdough; 200g gruyère grated; a few good dashes Worcestershire sauce

Adam Bush

Published: January 18, 2022 at 10:41 PM

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Serves 4

Easy

Total time: 1 hr and 50 mins

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This deep beefy French onion soup is rich with caramelised onions and topped with bubbling cheese melts, perfect for a comforting winter warmer

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Alternatives

Complete the dish

Make this classic French onion soup and serve alongside a homemade French baguette, then check out our French onion tart, tartiflette, coq au vin, dauphinoise potatoes and more French-style recipes. Then try more easy onion recipes.

Looking for a meat-free version? Try our vegetarian French onion soup and vegetarian French onion tart which is based on a vegetable stock.

For more comforting soup recipes, try our vegetable soup, minestrone soup and leek and potato soup or vegan leek and potato soup.

Ingredients

Nutrition

75g butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1kg onions

halved and thinly sliced
10 sprigs thyme

leaves picked
4 cloves garlic

thinly sliced
1 tsp caster sugar
1.5 litres beef stock
2 tsp Bovril

(optional)
4 small slices sourdough
200g gruyère

grated
a few good dashes Worcestershire sauce

Nutrition: per serving

kcal625
fat37.6g
saturates20.9g
carbs39.4g
sugars17.9g
fibre8.5g
protein28g
salt2.1g

Method

step 1

Melt the butter and vegetable oil in a large pan and add the onions, 3⁄4 of the thyme and a large pinch of salt. Cook very gently for 1 hour, stirring regularly, until the onions are really caramelised and jammy. Add the garlic and sugar for the final 15 minutes of cooking. Pour in the beef stock and add the Bovril, bring to the boil and season really well. Simmer for 30 minutes until reduced a little and the onions have melded with the stock.
step 2

Toast the sourdough slices on either side, then load up with the gruyère, remaining thyme and a good dash of Worcestershire sauce. Divide the soup between 4 ovenproof soup terrines or bowls, and heat the grill to high. Put the bread pieces on top of each bowl of soup and grill for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.

Check out more of our best soup recipes

Authors

Adam Bush Chef Portrait

Adam BushDeputy food editor

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