Description
Lazy French Onion Soup redefines comfort with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Caramelized onions and rich broth create a simple yet luxurious dish that you’ll crave on chilly evenings, promising restaurant-quality results without complex techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 45 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (or mix of Gruyere and Swiss cheese)
Bread Component:
- 12 slices crusty French bread or baguette
Seasoning and Cooking Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup or 60 milliliters) butter
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
Instructions
- Carefully slice onions into thin, uniform strips to ensure even cooking and caramelization.
- Melt butter in a spacious pot over medium heat, creating a golden base for the soup’s foundation.
- Gently introduce sliced onions to the melted butter, sprinkling a delicate pinch of salt to enhance flavor and promote browning.
- Allow onions to slowly transform, stirring intermittently, until they soften and develop a rich, golden-brown complexion (approximately 10 minutes).
- Deglaze the pot with wine, using liquid to lift and incorporate the flavorful browned bits clinging to the bottom of the cookware.
- Let the wine reduce by half, concentrating its aromatic essence and creating depth of flavor.
- Pour in broth and sprinkle fresh thyme, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Allow soup to simmer and meld flavors for 10-15 minutes, periodically tasting and adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, prepare bread slices by toasting under the broiler until they achieve a crisp, golden exterior.
- Transfer soup into individual oven-safe bowls, carefully positioning a toasted bread slice atop each serving.
- Generously shower Gruyère cheese over the bread, ensuring complete coverage.
- Return bowls to the broiler, watching closely as cheese melts and transforms into a bubbling, golden-brown crust.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately, presenting a comforting, rustic French classic.
Notes
- Slice onions uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent burning and achieve beautiful caramelization of onions without scorching.
- Choose a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to enhance the soup’s depth of flavor without overwhelming sweetness.
- When broiling cheese topping, watch carefully to prevent burning and achieve that perfect golden-brown melted crust.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg