Description
Classic French onion cheese soup blends caramelized onions with rich Gruyère cheese, creating a comforting winter dish. Warm spoons will scoop creamy broth filled with melted cheese and golden bread croutons, satisfying hungry souls.
Ingredients
- 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 32 oz (907 g) low-sodium beef broth
- 24 oz (680 g) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups Gruyere Swiss cheese, shredded, room temperature
- ¼ cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded, room temperature
- 2 tbsps Parmesan cheese, finely grated, room temperature
- 4 tbsps butter
- 2 tbsps virgin olive oil
- 5 thick slices French bread
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Slowly cook thinly sliced onions, stirring periodically, until they transform into a deep golden-brown color, developing rich, sweet undertones (approximately 40-45 minutes).
- Build Flavor Foundation: Introduce minced garlic to the caramelized onions. Pour in beef and chicken broths, combining Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer gently to allow herbs and broths to harmonize and create a robust flavor profile.
- Refine Soup Essence: Extract thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Enhance complexity by incorporating balsamic vinegar, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to balance the taste.
- Prepare Cheese Croutons: Brush bread slices with olive oil and toast under the broiler until achieving a crisp, golden exterior. Monitor carefully to prevent burning.
- Final Assembly and Broiling: Ladle hot soup into oven-safe bowls, top with toasted bread slice, and generously cover with Swiss, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Place under broiler until cheese melts into a bubbling, golden-brown crust that seals in the soup’s intense flavors.
Notes
Caramelization Technique: Low and slow cooking is crucial for developing deep, sweet onion flavor. Rushed caramelization leads to bitter, uneven results.
Cheese Melting Tip: Use room temperature cheese for even, smooth melting. Cold cheese creates uneven, clumpy topping that doesn’t achieve perfect golden-brown finish.
Broiler Watch: Keep constant eye on soup during final cheese melting stage. Just seconds can transform golden crust into burnt disaster, ruining entire dish.
Broth Balance: Combining beef and chicken broths creates multilayered depth. Using single broth type will produce flat, one-dimensional flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg