French Onion Soup

*This French Onion Soup is the perfect warm and comforting dish for a cold winter evening. The caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and ample gruyere cheese take me right back to Paris!*

When I lived in Paris for six months, I felt like every single day was go-go-go. I was running around the city, stopping into a museum here, checking out a famous bridge or some statue there, and grabbing a freshly baked croissant for an afternoon snack right in between. Hah, sounds like a tough life, right? Please take me back!

Now, don’t get me wrong, this insanely packed schedule was entirely self imposed. Since my time in the city was limited, I was very conscious to try to fit in as much as I possibly could. I wanted to explore each of the rich and varied neighborhoods; to not just visit the museums, but to really take the time to appreciate the many masterpieces of the city. Throw in my class schedule and heavy workload of homework, and boy, I barely had time to breathe.

But every so often, even among the endless crowds and infinite opportunities, I reminded myself of the need to stop for a minute and reflect. To simply enjoy the small pleasures and everyday joys of this wonderfully exciting life I was living. I still remember one cold evening – it must have been in the middle of October, as fall was coming in at full force and a chill swept through the city. After a busy day, I found myself alone at a little cafe, where I ordered a steaming bowl of French onion soup. This simple dish – the perfectly caramelized and buttery onions, the savory and herby beef broth, the mass of bubbling gruyere cheese – was the perfect antidote to the cold, and as I observed the hustle and bustle of the swarming streets outside, I took a moment to simply savor. This recipe for French onion soup is my attempt to recreate that perfectly quintessential (and delicious) taste of France. I hope you enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
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This French Onion Soup is the perfect warm and comforting dish for a cold winter evening. The caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and ample gruyere cheese take me right back to Paris!

This soup can certainly be made ahead of time. Simply reheat and prepare the cheese toasts right before serving.
Herbes de Provence is a dried herb mixture usually containing thyme, oregano, rosemary, and other herbs. If you can’t find it, feel free to simply use thyme instead.
The wine may be omitted, if you’d like.

Ingredients

For Soup:

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large yellow onions
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
¼ cup flour
2 quarts beef broth
½ cup white wine
1 teaspoon black pepper

For Topping:

6 slices of bread
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 ounces gruyere cheese
4 ounces Swiss cheese

Directions

Melt the butter and olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, peel and half the onions. Then, slice each half into very thin slices.
Add onions, salt, sugar, and herbes de Provence to the pot.
Cook, stirring regularly, until onions are very caramelized and dark brown, about thirty minutes.
Add flour and stir to coat onions, then let cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes.
Slowly add broth, stirring constantly. Then, add wine and pepper and stir to combine.
Let the soup come to a simmer. Then, reduce heat to medium and let cook, covered, stirring regularly, for another thirty minutes.
Ten minutes before serving, preheat oven to 350°.
Slice crusts off of the bread, then arrange the slices on a baking sheet.
Place sheet in the oven to toast the bread slightly, for two or three minutes.
Meanwhile, grate gruyere and Swiss cheese.
Spread bread slices with softened butter, then sprinkle each with some of each of the cheeses.
Return to the oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about five minutes.
Ladle soup into bowls, and top each with a cheese toast.

The Millennial Cook