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? ›
Baking soda speeds up browning (that Maillard reaction you may have heard about) and leads to softer onions by breaking down the cells faster. And heat? Well, naturally, food cooks faster at a higher temperature, and the addition of water here reduces the risk of burning and better distributes all the sugars.
Why is my French onion soup so bland? ›
If you don't add enough salt, pepper, or other herbs and spices, the soup may taste bland.
How do you make soup taste rich? ›
Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.
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. It's traditionally served in a ramekin or a ceramic crock with a handle.
How can I thicken my French onion soup? ›
The easiest way to thicken your French onion soup is with flour. You can also use cornstarch if you don't have any flour. Remember to never add the flour or cornstarch directly to the soup – otherwise you run the risk of it clumping.
Does it matter how you cut onions for French onion soup? ›
For French onion soup, it is best to slice the onions into thin, even slices. This will allow them to cook evenly and caramelize properly. You can achieve this by cutting the onion in half, placing the flat side down, and slicing it widthwise into thin slices.
Why do you put lemon juice in soup? ›
In this case, however, the lemon provides more of a flavor undertone that enhances other seasonings like thyme, parsley, and turmeric. According to trained chef Leetal Arazi, who spoke with Real Simple, you can bring a "zesty flavor" to your soup simply by adding lemon.
What are the best onions for soup? ›
Yellow is the ideal variety for caramelizing. 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.
French Onion Soup is a healthy food
The cheese topping on French onion soup adds saturated fat and cholesterol, making the dish even less healthy. However, you can reduce the sodium content of the soup by using a low-sodium beef stock or chicken broth instead of regular stock.
What type of bowl is best for French onion soup? ›
restaurants serve French onion soup in a Lion Head soup bowl made of porcelain, because of the style and also, because it is an oven-safe bowl.
Is sherry or vermouth better for French onion soup? ›
Alcohol: We use sweet vermouth (Dolin) and Lillet Blanc. You can substitute sweet vermouth with sherry (not sherry cooking wine) or brandy. Lillet Blanc is similar to dry white wine but more aromatic. Your favorite dry white wine is fine.
What can I use instead of dry sherry in French onion soup? ›
Substitutions for Cooking Sherry
- Dry Vermouth. Griffin says dry vermouth is the best direct substitute for cooking sherry because it mimics the flavor of sherry better than other options without the need for extra salt. ...
- Dry White Wine. ...
- Chicken Stock and Lemon. ...
- Dry Marsala. ...
- Dry Madeira.
Infusing the soup with a richer taste is as easy as quickly sauteing crushed garlic before pouring the soup in. Some soft, buttery garlic sauteed in earthy olive oil is the perfect addition to enrich canned French onion soup.
How do you add depth of flavor to soup? ›
Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples
Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.
Why do you add flour to French onion soup? ›
Onion soup, at its very essence, is nothing more than onions and water boiled together. Period, done, finished, everything added from that point on is pure opinion. Caramelizing the onions brings out sugars, and makes a more luxurious silky and sweet soup, adding flour gently thickens and provides body.
