Real French Onion Soup

After many attempts via trial-and-error, this is my all-time favorite onion soup recipe.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 365 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh parsley
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 8 large red onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup sherry wine
• 8 (1 inch thick) slices French bread

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are nicely browned, about 20 minutes. This step can not be hurried, the end result will be a rich golden brown mass of onion. This is where all your flavor comes from and can take a little practice. The darker you can get the onion without burning, the better the flavor.

Step 2

Slowly pour the beef broth into the soup, stirring to remove any bits of onion that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the sprigs of parsley and thyme to the soup. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Do not boil. Pour the sherry into the soup, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Remove the sprigs of parsley and thyme.

Step 3

Preheat the oven's broiler. Place serving bowls onto a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and float a slice of bread on top of each one. Sprinkle shredded Gruyere cheese over the top. Broil for 2 minutes, or until browned. Serve immediately.