Dutch Oven French Onion Soup (Print Version)

Caramelized onions in savory broth, crowned with crusty bread and melted Gruyère for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Onions

01 - 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

→ Aromatics

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Broth & Flavorings

06 - 8 cups beef broth
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Topping

12 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
13 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
14 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Add the sliced onions and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deeply caramelized, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Add the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves.
05 - While soup simmers, preheat oven broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side.
06 - Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with a toasted baguette slice and generous handful of Gruyère cheese and Parmesan.
07 - Place bowls on a baking sheet and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 2 to 4 minutes.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh thyme if desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The magic is in the wait: Slow caramelizing onions transforms them into something sweet and deep that no shortcut can match.
  • It's showstopper simple: Despite its fancy reputation, this soup uses just a few ingredients and basic technique.
  • The broiled cheese moment: Watching that Gruyère melt and bubble under the broiler feels like restaurant magic happening in your own kitchen.
  • One pot, one Dutch oven: Everything builds in the same vessel, keeping cleanup honest and the kitchen calm.
02 -
  • Don't rush the onions: There's no way around those 40-plus minutes of caramelizing, and trying to hurry by cranking up the heat just burns them instead of sweetening them, so let the Dutch oven do its slow work.
  • Taste before the cheese goes on: The seasoning needs to be right before the broiler step, because once that cheese melts on top, it's too late to adjust the salt or add more thyme.
  • Use oven-safe bowls: Regular serving bowls can crack or shatter under the broiler's heat, so invest in proper soup bowls that can handle direct flame.
03 -
  • Save your wine from caramelization: If the smell of cooking wine bothers you or you want the soup completely alcohol-free, use a splash of white wine vinegar with a bit of extra broth instead.
  • Make it vegetarian without losing depth: Use vegetable broth instead of beef, skip the Worcestershire or use a vegetarian version, and add an extra pinch of umami by throwing in half a teaspoon of miso paste when you add the broth.
  • Double batch and freeze half: Make the soup up through the simmering step, then cool and freeze it in portions, so all you need to do later is reheat, toast bread, and broil with cheese.
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