Looking for a rich and hearty soup to warm you up on a cold, rainy night? Julia Child’s French onion soup is everything you need and more.
Sweet caramelized onions swimming in a rich beef broth topped with toasted bread and melty cheeses: French onion soup is rustic comfort food at its finest.
One spoonful of this soup is guaranteed to tickle your tastebuds and warm your heart.
There is nothing like the flavor and texture combinations of caramelized onions, French bread, cheese, and beef to soothe your soul.
Simply put, it’s perfection in a bowl.
Julia Child’s French Onion Soup Recipe
French onion soup is a thin soup made with caramelized onions, beef broth, and wine, and topped with bread and cheese.
It originated in – surprise – France; and dates back all the way to the 18th century.
I don’t know about you, but when I hear French onion soup, I think super fancy and elegant.
But it actually started as a peasant soup made with onions and stale bread!
The more sophisticated soup we know and love is just a modernized version.
When it comes to French onion soup, there is no better person to turn to than the great Julia Child.
I think it’s safe to say that her recipe is the most classic and authentic one you can find out there!
The key to the best French onion soup is to caramelize the onions, and this takes at least 40 minutes. You must be patient, but don’t worry, the result is worth the wait.
Ingredients
The great thing about French onion soup is that it only calls for basic ingredients. In fact, I’m sure you’ll find all of these readily available in your kitchen!
- Onions. Classic French onion soup calls for yellow onions, but you can also use white or red.
- Butter. It’s a crucial ingredient to caramelize the onions. You can use olive oil, but nothing beats the richness of butter.
- Flour. Going hand in hand with butter, flour forms a roux that thickens the soup.
- White Wine. It comes in handy when your onions are burning at the bottom of the pan. Pouring in a few spoonfuls of wine will deglaze the pan, helping you scrape out the burned onion bits.
- Beef Stock. It’s the flavor base of the soup. Classic French onion soup calls for beef, but you can also experiment with chicken or veggie.
- French Bread. It’s the iconic soup topping. Any French bread will do, but a crusty baguette is highly recommended.
- Cheeses. The only way to top your French bread. This recipe calls for Swiss and Parmesan, but you can also use whatever mild and melty cheeses you want. Gruyere, asiago, gouda, brie, Havarti, blue, and mozzarella are all fantastic options.
Tips for Flavorful Onion Soup
- The flavor of this soup lies in the broth, so high-quality beef stock is key. Use homemade beef stock as much as possible. If you don’t have it on hand, get one from the butcher.
- Canned beef stock should be your last option. Taste it first before going for it!
- The onions are the highlight of the soup, so you’ll want to make that extra effort of caramelizing them properly. Don’t settle for shortcuts and strictly adhere to the process.
- You also want to simmer the broth for at least 30 minutes. Do not skip this step! It is crucial to get that deeper, richer, beefy flavor.
Can This Dish Be Made in Advance?
Definitely!
You can store the soup in the fridge, sans the bread and cheese, and it will keep well for up to 3 days.
If you want it to last much longer, you can freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
You can prepare the bread ahead of time, place it in an airtight container, and store at room temperature. Toasted bread will keep well for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with French Onion Soup
French onion soup works as a stand-alone meal, but you also can’t go wrong with adding meat to your dinner.
Any meaty dish, such as roasted pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, or steak, are all excellent options.
Since the soup is so rich and hearty, you can also balance it out with a light salad or roasted Brussels sprouts.
More Hearty Soup Recipes You’ll Love
15 Bean Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Chipotle Black Bean Soup
Julia Child’s French Onion Soup
6-8
servings30
minutes2
hoursIngredients
5-6 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
6 cups beef stock (better if homemade)
1/2 cup wine (dry white wine or dry white vermouth)
8 slices French bread, about 1-inch thick
4 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons cognac
1/2 raw yellow onion, grated
12 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Place a heavy-bottom stockpot or Dutch oven on a stove over medium-low heat. Add cooking oil and butter. Saute onions until evenly coated with oil and butter.
- Cover the pot and let it sit until onions are soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. For caramelized onions, turn the heat to medium or medium-high. Stir in sugar and salt and cook uncovered, stirring often until onions are browned and reduced.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the flour and butter form a thick paste. If paste is not achieved, add more butter.
- Mix in 1 cup of warm beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching. Stir in the remaining stock and wine. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.
- For the croutons or toasted bread, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Drizzle bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 15 minutes at 325 degrees F. Flip the slices over and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Once the soup has simmered, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the soup into a casserole dish. Stir in cognac, the 1/2 raw onion (grated), and a few ounces of Swiss cheese.
- Top the soup with toasted bread in a single layer. Top the bread with the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Be sure all the edges of bread are covered to avoid burning. Drizzle with oil or melted butter.
- Bake the casserole at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler and brown the cheeses.
- Let the soup cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
I’m planning to make this as soon as I get to the store for the wine and baguette. Sounds wonderful! But where does the cognac come in? I don’t see it mentioned in the instructions.
The Cognac is in step 8, Linda. 🙂 Hope you enjoyed it!
I made this soup and it was phenomenal. I think the Cognac just gave it that extra umph. So delicious. I will be making this one again and again.
This was insanely good, best french onion soup I’ve ever made. Takes awhile but is so worth it! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Samantha! So glad you liked it!!
This is one of my faves 🙂
It does take some time, but you’re right – it’s worth it!
Just finished reading “My Life in France” and looking for Julia recipes and this fits the bill.
Hi Paul, I have always wanted to read that! I will have to pick up a copy.
I remember making this years ago, especially adding the sugar to coat the onions and help them to caramelize. Thank you for posting this recipe. It is a classic and a keeper.
Hi Judy, it’s a classic for sure and never goes out of style! It’s one of my favorite recipes.
So, if I want to make the soup in advance where do I stop with the instructions.
Hi Irene! To make this ahead, follow the instructions until step 4. “Mix in 1 cup of warm beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching. Stir in the remaining stock and wine. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.”
At this point, the soup is basically ready. Just cool and refrigerate it until you’re ready to eat (up to three days). When you are, pick up again at number 5.
If you’re making this in a large casserole dish (with the bread and cheese), I recommend reheating the onions and broth on the stove before baking. But if you’re serving it in single portions, it should heat through in the 30 minutes in the oven.
Hope this helps!