French Onion Soup Recipe

French Onion Soup has to be on the top of my list for favorite soups. This recipe by Julia Child takes a little longer than many simpler recipes, but it’s well worth the time spent. So get out your apron, and prepare to indulge in a classic French favorite.

As the title suggests, Julia Child’s French onion soup made isn’t a recipe I followed to the letter. Although Julia claims if you don’t use homemade beef stock, you may as well buy onion soup, I say you’re still better off making the soup at home. Just use whatever stock you have on hand, as long as it’s good quality.

Julia Child’s French onion soup recipe is a classic, but I have made one tiny change which I think makes the eating and enjoying of the soup much easier. Sorry Julia, but I would guess, even she would approve!

The Problem with French Onion soup

If you’re like me, you probably don’t like fighting with full-sized pieces of  bread covered in melted cheese floating in your soup, right? So I suggest bite-sized toasted pieces of bread instead–they are much more manageable. 

Also Read: Homemade Ratatouille Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5-6 Cups Yellow Onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 Yellow Onion, raw
• Olive Oil, 4 Tbsp
• French Bread, about 8 slices
• Cogniac, 2-3 Tbsp (optional)
• Parmesan Cheese, 4 ounces
• Swiss Cheese, Grated, about 12 ounces
• Salt and Pepper
• Sage, Ground, 1/2 tsp
• Bay Leaf, 1 leaf
• White Wine, 1 cup
• Beef Stock, 6 cups
• Flour, 3 Tbsp
• Sugar, 1/2 tsp
• Butter, 2 Tbsp
• Cooking Oil, 1 Tbsp

How do you make Julia Child’s French Onion Soup?

This is not a five minute soup, so just be prepared to caramelize some onions for a good 45 minutes or so. The rest of the soup making process is easy, and the result is truly worth the time and effort. See the step by step directions below.

• Heat a heavy, oven-safe, stock pot over medium-low heat and add the cooking oil once the pot is hot. Melt the butter into the hot oil.  Stir the sliced onions into the oil/butter mix, ensuring they are evenly coated. Cover the stock pot and cook for around 20 minutes checking to make sure they aren’t burning. Onions should be clear and very tender once finished. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and add the sugar and 1tsp salt. Continue cooking while stirring until onions are thoroughly browned (caramelized).
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 3 Tbsp flour. Cook 2-3 minutes until flour forms a thick paste (add more butter if needed).  Stir in 1 cup of beef stock, and stir heavily for a couple seconds.
• Add the rest of the stock, wine, sage, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Drizzle both sides of french bread slices with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Cook the bread in the oven for 15 minutes on each side.
• Taste soup, and add salt and pepper as needed, then remove the bay leaf.
• Add cognac, and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup. Add a little bit of the swiss cheese to the soup, preserving most of it for the top. Cover the soup mixture with the bread, forming a single layer bread top. Sprinkle the rest of the Swiss cheese over the top of the bread, forming a thick layer. Drizzle melted butter or oil over the cheese, and place the pot into the oven uncovered. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Turn the broiler on and brown the cheese.
• Remove pot from oven and let stand to cool. Serve up to some lucky guests and enjoy all the kudos you receive.