Description
Hearty French onion soup blends rich, caramelized onions with savory beef broth and melted Gruyère cheese. Comforting layers of slow-cooked goodness invite you to savor each spoonful of this classic French culinary delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 pounds sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 6 cups beef stock
- 1 French baguette, sliced
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
Seasoning and Herbs:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine sliced onions with melted butter, brown sugar, and salt in the slow cooker. Nestle thyme sprigs and bay leaf on top. Set slow cooker to high for 8-10 hours, allowing onions to caramelize and develop rich, deep flavor.
- Occasionally stir onions if convenient, though not mandatory. Slow, consistent heat will transform raw onions into golden-brown delicacy.
- After caramelization, pour beef stock into the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly and continue cooking on high for 2-3 hours to enhance flavor complexity and allow ingredients to meld together.
- When soup nears completion, prepare baguette. Preheat broiler and toast bread slices for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp and golden brown. Monitor closely to prevent burning.
- Transfer soup into oven-safe ramekins. Top each serving with toasted baguette slices. Generously sprinkle Gruyère and Asiago cheeses over bread. Broil for approximately 2 minutes until cheese becomes bubbly and develops golden color.
- Remove broiled soup carefully. Allow brief cooling period. Serve immediately, enjoying the harmonious blend of caramelized onions, savory broth, and melted cheese.
Notes
- Caramelize onions slowly to develop deep, rich flavor by cooking them on low heat for 8-10 hours, allowing natural sugars to break down and create a sweet, complex taste.
- Use dark brown sugar to enhance the caramelization process, providing a deeper color and more intense sweetness to the onions.
- Choose high-quality Gruyère and Asiago cheeses for authentic flavor, ensuring they’re freshly grated for maximum melting potential and richness.
- Adapt the recipe for vegetarian diets by substituting beef stock with robust vegetable stock and adding extra umami through mushroom base or miso paste to maintain depth of flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 30mg