French Onion Soup – My Ultimate Cold Weather Comfort Food
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
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Recipe type: Weekend Meals
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided use)
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (divided use)
  • 4–5 large yellow onions, very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
  • 3–4 red onions, very thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon No-Beef Base
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 sage leaves (or ¾ teaspoon of dried sage)
  • 3–4 sprigs thyme (or ¾ teaspoon of dried thyme)
  • 3–4 sprigs parsley
  • 3 tablespoons cognac (optional)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Baguette or a good quality loaf of French bread
  • 4–5 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or a deep-sided skillet, and add 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add both types of thinly sliced onions and stir to coat them with the melted butter and oil. Cover and cook over very low heat for about 20–25 minutes until the onions are translucent and very tender. Lift the lid every 5 minutes or so and give them a stir. They should reduce in volume slightly and give off an incredibly succulent aroma.
  2. Uncover the skillet and turn the heat up a few notches. Add the sea salt and sugar, both of which will help the onions caramelize. Cook for another 60-90 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are a lovely golden brown and greatly reduced in volume.
  3. Reduce the heat again, add the remaining tablespoon butter, and stir the flour into the nicely browned onions. Cook for a minute or two. While you're doing this, heat your stock and add the water and bouillon cube. You should have a total of 7 cups of liquid.
  4. Add the liquid gradually and stir well to make sure the flour doesn't lump. Add the wine, optional cognac, bay leaves, sage, thyme, parsley, and freshly ground black pepper. Let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes or so. Remove the bay leaves, sage, thyme, parsley, and adjust seasonings.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices. Put the slices on a lightly greased baking sheet, and brush the slices lightly with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Bake them for about 10-12 minutes, until they are golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Julia says that these are called croûtes (similar to an overgrown crouton, but actually more like an Italian crostini in appearance).
  6. Lightly grease individual ramekins or ovenproof soup bowls with a little olive oil or butter. Put them on another baking sheet. Grate your cheeses and combine them.
  7. Put 1 or 2 of the croûtes in the bottom of the individual ramekins or bowls so that they cover the bottom. Sprinkle with cheese, and then ladle in a little of the delicious soup. Add another layer of croûtes, more cheese and more soup. End with a layer of croûtes and cheese at the top of the bowl. Put them in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. The soup will be scalding hot, so please don't burn yourself.
Notes
© Nancy Olah, 2026
All Rights Reserved.
Recipe by Fool a Carnivore at https://foolacarnivore.com/french-onion-soup-my-ultimate-cold-weather-comfort-food/