Description
French onion soup weaves culinary magic through caramelized onions and rich beef broth. Melted gruyère cheese crowns this classic French comfort dish, inviting people to savor each luxurious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups onions (sliced)
- 5 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 slices Swiss cheese (diced)
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 2 tbsps dry sherry
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 4 slices French bread
Instructions
- Caramelization: Gently melt butter and olive oil in a large pot, then introduce sliced onions. Slowly transform onions over medium heat, stirring consistently until they develop a rich, golden-brown color and become supremely soft and translucent.
- Liquid Foundation: Integrate beef broth, sherry, thyme, salt, and pepper into the caramelized onions. Allow the mixture to simmer gently, melding flavors and creating a robust, aromatic liquid base for approximately 30 minutes.
- Cheese Preparation: Position oven rack near the broiler and heat to high. Ladle the infused soup into individual ceramic bowls, then artfully layer torn French bread across the surface to create a rustic foundation.
- Cheese Topping: Generously blanket the bread with a harmonious blend of provolone, Swiss, and Parmesan cheeses, ensuring complete coverage of the bread layer.
- Broiling Finale: Transfer the prepared bowls onto a robust baking sheet and slide under the broiler. Monitor closely as the cheese transforms into a bubbling, golden-brown crust, typically requiring 2-3 minutes of intense heat exposure. Remove immediately once the desired caramelization is achieved.
Notes
- Master Caramelization Technique: Take time and patience when cooking onions, stirring consistently to achieve golden color without burning, which develops rich, sweet flavor foundation.
- Sherry’s Secret Weapon: Adding sherry creates deeper, more complex taste profile by introducing subtle nutty undertones that elevate traditional beef broth.
- Cheese Selection Strategy: Combine multiple cheese varieties like provolone, Swiss, and Parmesan for balanced, complex melting texture and robust flavor complexity.
- Broiler Precision Matters: Watch cheese closely during final 2-3 minutes of cooking, ensuring golden-brown crust without burning, which can quickly transform from perfectly caramelized to bitter and charred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 318
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 840 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg