Classic French Onion Soup (Better Than Any Restaurant!)

There’s something almost magical about French onion soup. It’s one of those dishes that seems simple—it’s basically just onions and broth, right?—but when you do it right, it’s absolutely transcendent. The kind of thing that makes you close your eyes and sigh with satisfaction after the first spoonful.

I’ll be honest—I was intimidated by this recipe for years. It felt fancy and complicated, like something only trained chefs could pull off. Then one rainy Saturday, I decided to just go for it. Turns out, the “secret” is just patience. You let those onions caramelize slowly, building layer upon layer of sweet, savory flavor. Then you top it with cheese that gets all melty and bubbly under the broiler, and suddenly you’re a culinary genius.

The best part? Once you’ve made it yourself, you’ll never want to order it at a restaurant again. This version is richer, more flavorful, and doesn’t cost you twenty bucks a bowl.

Why You’ll Love This French Onion Soup

It tastes like you went to culinary school. Seriously, people will be impressed. This is restaurant-quality stuff that makes you look like a total pro.

Deeply satisfying comfort food. That combination of sweet caramelized onions, rich broth, crusty bread, and melted cheese is pure soul food. It hits different on a cold day.

Mostly hands-off cooking. Yeah, it takes about an hour, but most of that is just waiting for the onions to caramelize. You can catch up on your show while stirring occasionally.

Perfect for special occasions. Want to impress dinner guests? This is your move. It feels fancy but isn’t actually complicated.

Makes your kitchen smell incredible. Caramelizing onions is basically aromatherapy. Your whole house will smell amazing.

Leftovers are fantastic. The soup base keeps well and actually gets better as the flavors develop. Just add fresh bread and cheese when you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Main Ingredients:

• 4 large yellow onions – About 2-2.5 lbs total
• 3 tablespoons butter – For caramelizing
• 1 tablespoon olive oil – Helps prevent burning
• 1 teaspoon sugar – Helps with caramelization
• 4 cloves garlic, minced – Adds depth
• ½ cup dry white wine – Deglazes the pan
• 6 cups beef broth – The flavor foundation
• 2 bay leaves – Classic French flavoring
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves – Or ½ teaspoon dried
• Salt and pepper to taste – Essential seasoning
• 6 slices French baguette – About 1-inch thick
• 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese – The authentic choice
• Fresh thyme for garnish – Optional but pretty

Key Ingredient Notes:

Onions: Yellow onions are traditional and give you the best sweet-savory balance. Don’t use red onions—they get too sweet. And don’t skip the quantity—those onions cook down to like a quarter of their original volume.

Butter and oil combo: Using both gives you the rich flavor of butter without it burning during the long cooking process. The oil has a higher smoke point, so it protects the butter.

Wine: Dry white wine is traditional, but you can also use dry vermouth or even dry sherry. If you’re avoiding alcohol, just use extra beef broth with a splash of white wine vinegar for acidity.

Beef broth: This is key to that rich, deep flavor. Use good quality broth—homemade is amazing if you have it, but good boxed broth works too. Low-sodium gives you better control over the salt level.

Gruyère cheese: This is the traditional choice and it melts beautifully without getting greasy. Swiss cheese works in a pinch, or you can do a mix of Gruyère and Parmesan. Just avoid pre-shredded cheese—shred from a block for better melting.

Bread: A good crusty French baguette is perfect. You want something sturdy enough to hold up in the soup without getting instantly mushy.

How to Make French Onion Soup

Step 1: Prep the Onions

Peel and slice your onions. You want them in thin half-moon slices, about ¼-inch thick. Don’t stress about making them perfectly uniform—they’re all going to cook down anyway. This is probably the most tedious part, but it’s worth it. Pro tip: chill your onions in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing if you’re sensitive to the tears.

Step 2: Start Caramelizing

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted, add all your sliced onions. They’re going to look like an absolutely ridiculous amount of onions. That’s normal. Stir them around to coat them in the butter and oil, then sprinkle with the sugar and a good pinch of salt.

Step 3: The Waiting Game

This is where patience comes in. Cook the onions over medium heat, stirring every 5-10 minutes. You’re looking for them to slowly turn golden, then brown, then a deep caramel color. This takes 35-45 minutes. Don’t try to rush it by cranking up the heat—that’ll burn them instead of caramelizing them. Low and slow is the way.

If they start sticking to the bottom, that’s actually good—those are flavor bits. Just add a splash of water or broth to deglaze and scrape them up. The onions should reduce down to about a quarter of their original volume and be deeply golden-brown and sweet.

Step 4: Add Garlic and Wine

Once your onions are beautifully caramelized, add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for about 2-3 minutes until it’s mostly evaporated.

Step 5: Build the Soup

Pour in the beef broth and add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. This gives all the flavors time to meld together. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remember, the cheese is salty, so don’t go overboard.

Step 6: Prepare the Bread

While your soup is simmering, toast your baguette slices. You can do this in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or just pop them in a toaster. You want them lightly golden but not rock-hard.

Step 7: Broiler Magic

Here’s where it gets fun. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls or crocks. Top each bowl with a slice or two of toasted baguette, then pile on the shredded Gruyère cheese. Be generous—you want a good layer of cheese that’ll get all melty and bubbly.

Place the bowls on a baking sheet (for easy handling and to catch any drips) and pop them under the broiler. Watch them closely—it only takes 2-4 minutes for the cheese to melt and get those beautiful golden-brown spots on top. You want it bubbly and slightly browned, not burned.

Step 8: Serve Immediately

Carefully remove the bowls from the oven—they’ll be extremely hot. Let them cool for a minute or two (that cheese is molten lava), garnish with a little fresh thyme if you’re feeling fancy, and serve.

Pro tip: Warn your guests that the bowls are hot. Seriously. I’ve learned this the hard way.

Serving Suggestions

French onion soup is pretty perfect on its own, but here are some ways to make the meal complete:

Simple green salad – Something light and fresh balances out the richness. A classic vinaigrette works perfectly.

Extra crusty bread – Because you’ll want to soak up every last drop of that amazing broth. Butter optional but recommended.

Roasted vegetables – If you want to make it more of a complete meal, some roasted asparagus or green beans on the side are great.

White wine – A dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay pairs beautifully with the soup.

Charcuterie board – Go full French bistro mode with some pâté, cornichons, and good cheese.

Apple tart for dessert – Keep the French theme going with a classic dessert.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Storing the Soup Base:

The soup base (without the bread and cheese) stores beautifully. Let it cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Actually, the flavor gets even better after a day or two as everything melds together.

Storing with Toppings:

Don’t store the soup with the bread and cheese already on it. They get soggy and weird. Always add fresh bread and cheese when you’re ready to serve.

Reheating:

Reheat the soup base on the stovetop over medium heat until it’s hot and steaming. Then ladle into oven-safe bowls, add fresh bread and cheese, and broil as directed. Easy.

You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, then transfer to an oven-safe bowl for the bread and cheese broiling step.

Freezing:

The soup base freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat and add fresh bread and cheese. The caramelized onions hold up great in the freezer.

Final Thoughts

Look, I’m not going to pretend this is a quick weeknight dinner. It’s not. But it’s also not difficult—just time-consuming. And that time is mostly passive, with you just stirring occasionally while the onions do their thing.

What you get for that hour of mostly hands-off cooking is something genuinely special. This isn’t just soup—it’s an experience. That first bite, when you break through the layer of melted cheese and hit that sweet, savory broth with its perfectly caramelized onions? That’s what cooking is all about.

Make this on a lazy weekend. Make it when you want to impress someone. Make it when you’re craving something deeply comforting and satisfying. Just make it. Your kitchen will smell amazing, you’ll feel like a culinary badass, and you’ll have a pot of soup that rivals anything you’d get at a fancy French restaurant.

Trust me on this one.

Happy cooking!

— Kip