French Onion Soup

This French Onion Soup features caramelized sweet onions cooked with butter, brown sugar, and garlic, then simmered in beef stock and dry red wine with fresh thyme and bay leaves. Topped with toasted baguette slices and a melted cheese blend, this soup is ideal as a comforting starter or a hearty appetizer.

Recipe Information

Total Time:

Yield:

16 servings (½ cup each)

Ingredients

6 tablespoons salted butter

6 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups beef stock

½ cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus additional for garnish

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

32 (¼-inch-thick) slices baguette

3 cups shredded white cheese blend (Fontina, Gouda, Gruyère and Parmesan)

Directions

In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, brown sugar and garlic. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes or until softened, stirring often. Continue cooking over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden in color, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in flour. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove Dutch oven from heat. Stir in beef stock, wine, Worcestershire sauce, 4 to 6 thyme sprigs, bay leaves, salt and black pepper. Return Dutch oven to heat. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
Place oven rack 6 inches from heat source. Preheat broiler to high. Place 16 (4-ounce) oven-safe ramekins in a large rimmed baking pan. Ladle soup into ramekins. Top each with 2 baguette slices. Sprinkle evenly with cheese blend. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish with additional thyme, if desired.