Classic French Onion Soup
Deeply caramelized onions in rich beef broth topped with a bubbly Gruyère crouton
By RecipesQueen Kitchen • June 10, 2026
French onion soup is one of the most rewarding dishes in all of cooking — a pot of slow-caramelized onions transformed into a deeply savory, wine-enriched broth, served under a cap of crusty bread and bubbly, golden Gruyère cheese.
The magic is in the caramelization. Four large onions are sliced and cooked low and slow for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they transform from sharp and pungent to sweet, jammy, and deeply golden. A splash of dry white wine and cognac deglazes the pan, and rich beef broth builds the body.
Ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks, float a thick slice of toasted baguette on top, pile on Gruyère, and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and scorched in spots. Breaking through that cheese crust with your spoon is one of life's great pleasures.
Ingredients
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp cognac or brandy (optional)
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 thick slices baguette, toasted
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Melt butter with olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onions and a pinch of sugar. Cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the onions are deeply golden, jammy, and caramelized. Lower heat if they start to burn.
- 2
Pour in white wine and cognac, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- 3
Add beef broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- 4
Preheat your broiler. Ladle soup into oven-safe crocks and place on a baking sheet.
- 5
Float a toasted baguette slice on each bowl of soup. Pile generously with Gruyère cheese, letting it drape over the edges of the crock.
- 6
Broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown in spots. Let cool slightly before serving — the soup is extremely hot under the cheese.
