Name: French Onion Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Francesa
Ingredients: 900 g Yellow onion finely sliced; 45 g Unsalted butter; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 2 clove Garlic finely chopped; 1 tbsp Wheat flour; 120 ml dry white wine; 1.5 l Beef broth hot; 4 piece Fresh thyme sprigs; 1 piece Bay leaf; 1 tsp Salt adjust at the end if needed; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 8 slice Baguette slices of 1.5 cm; 160 g Gruyère cheese grated

French Onion Soup

In the kitchens of Lyon and Paris, onion soup was born as a humble dish: patient onions, hot broth, and day-old bread turned into luxury. I'm Antoine, and I love this version because it respects the technique without becoming solemn. The secret is caramelization: it sounds intimidating, but it involves three steps —cutting evenly, using moderate heat, and patience— until the onion turns amber. A bit of wine lifts the fond from the pot, the broth adds body, and the melted Gruyère provides that golden finish that makes everyone reach for the spoon.

Chef tips

If you can't find Gruyère, use Comté or Emmental; avoid very moist cheeses as they don't melt the same.
Don't raise the heat too much when caramelizing: the onion should brown slowly, not burn or become bitter.
For a wine-free version, substitute it with 120 ml of beef broth and cook the same to concentrate the base.
Keep the soup without bread or cheese for up to 4 days in the fridge; melt the baguette and cheese just before serving.
If the soup is too intense, soften it with 100 to 150 ml of hot beef broth before serving.