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; 1.5 l Beef broth hot; 4 piece Fresh thyme sprigs; 1 piece Bay leaf; 1 tsp Salt adjust at the end if necessary; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 8 slice Baguette slices of 1.5 cm

French Onion Soup

In the kitchens of Lyon and Paris, onion soup was born as a humble dish: patient onions, hot broth, and yesterday's bread turned into a luxury. I’m Antoine, and I love this version because it respects the technique without making it solemn. The secret is caramelization: it sounds intimidating, but it's three steps —even slicing, moderate heat, and patience— until the onion turns amber. A bit of wine lifts the base of the pot, the broth adds body, and the Gruyère gratin provides that golden finish that makes everyone reach for a spoon.

Chef tips

If you can't find Gruyère, use Comté or Emmental; avoid very moist cheeses as they won’t gratin well.
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 way to concentrate the base.
Store the soup without bread or cheese for up to 4 days in the refrigerator; gratin 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.