French Onion Soup

I can polish off a bowl of onion soup in the blink of an eye, I love it so much. The humble onion is elevated into new highs with this classic French recipe.

What makes French Onion Soup so special?

When cooked low and slow, onions take on an amazing umami sweetness that's something very special. A rich, creamy and decadent soup like no other. And it's such a humble dish too - few ingredients but BIG on flavour.

What kind of onions should I use?

I generally go for a large, sweet onion like a Vidalia or Walla Walla but generally, any yellow onion will do. On occasion I'll make it with red onion, as they're typically sweeter, but they're not strictly traditional for the French recipe. That said, use whatever you have!

Low and slow, extract all the flavour and colour.

First things first, we're going to cook the onion down slowly. This will ensure a great texture, colour and flavour - 30 minutes of slow sautéing will get the job done. I like to fry the onions in a little butter (because France) and inject a little herbal delight in the form of fresh thyme and a bay leaf.

Once you've melted down the onion, it's time to add a little garlic for flavour and then a good quality stock. Traditionally you can use either chicken or beef. Beef will give a meatier flavour, but a good homemade chicken stock is just as good - you can of course use store bought broth. But mark my words, a homemade stock is so much more flavourful!

An unauthentic twist! Soy sauce.

Now, this is probably going to fill my French readers with horror, but I do like to add a little dark soy sauce to my soup - so, before you leave in protest, hear me out! Soy sauce has a wonderful deep, rich colour which gives the soup a great deep hue, but also a rich, umami saltiness which adds a layer of flavour to the broth. I add around 1-2 tsp. It's obviously not traditional, but it works! It's also optional so don't sweat it if you're too horrified.

Once we've stewed the onions for a while it's done! You have a dark, golden soup that's packed with flavour. That's it - ready to serve... almost.

A good French Onion Soup Recipe isn't complete without the croutons to end all croutons. And by that I mean a slice of crusty bread toast with bubbling-hot Gruyère or Comté cheese on top. The cheese melts into the soup and the whole thing is an utter 'Triomphe!'.

This soup is a great lunch or dinner dish - filling, rich and completely delicious. Great in cold weather, hot weather, wet weather, dry weather. You get the picture.

More delicious soup recipes to try at home.

If you're in the mood for soup, you're at the right place! I love soups so much, I have collected my 10 Best Soup Recipes for your viewing pleasure. You're welcome.

More French Recipes

• Salt Pork with Puy Lentils (Petit Sale aux Lentilles)
• Crab Croquettes
• Tomato & Feta Salad
• Anchovy Sauce
• Rabbit Liver Pâté with Slow Onions
• Asparagus with Dijon Mustard
• Pamplemousse Cocktail