|

Classic French Onion Soup – Easy and Authentic Gratinée Recipe

ByChef Dumas
Aller à la recette / Jump to recipe

French onion soup, a classic of French cuisine, has been warming hearts and tables for centuries. Simple to make yet rich in flavor, it combines easily accessible ingredients to create a dish that impresses. In this article, you’ll learn how to easily prepare this comforting soup and some tips to elevate your cooking.

Main Ingredients: Simplicity and Quality

To create a delicious French onion soup, the choice of ingredients is key. Here’s what you’ll need for the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled (for rubbing the bread)
  • 50 g of duck fat (or butter as a substitute)
  • 125 ml of dry white wine
  • 1 L of chicken stock (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
  • 1 baguette, sliced and toasted
  • 200 g of grated cheese, ideally Emmental or Comté
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Possible Substitutes:

  • Duck fat: Butter or neutral oil works if you don’t have animal fat on hand.
  • White wine: Cooking wine or even a bit of unsweetened apple juice can be used as a replacement.
  • Chicken stock: Vegetable broth or water enhanced with a bouillon cube.
French Onion Soup

How to Make French Onion Soup?

Preparing the Ingredients: A Few Minutes Well Spent

  1. Slice the onions: The key is to cut them evenly for uniform cooking.
  2. Rub the toasted bread with garlic: Lightly rub the toasted bread slices with the garlic cloves for a subtle flavor. Set aside for the final assembly.
  3. Prepare your ingredients: Keep the wine, broth, and grated cheese handy.

Key Steps to Perfect French Onion Soup:

Step 1: Caramelizing the Onions

  1. Heat a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the duck fat.
  2. Once the fat is hot, add the sliced onions. Let them “sweat,” meaning cook until they become translucent.
  3. Continue cooking on low heat until the onions are deeply caramelized, golden brown, which will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2: Deglaze with White Wine

  1. Pour the white wine into the pot.
  2. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any bits stuck to it from the caramelized onions.
  3. Let the wine cook until it evaporates almost entirely, about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the Broth

  1. Add 1 liter of chicken stock to the pot. Stir well.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 4: Assemble and Broil

  1. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls.
  2. Place toasted garlic bread slices on top of each bowl. Add a generous handful of grated cheese, forming a “mountain.”
  3. Place the bowls under the grill in your preheated oven (or use a kitchen torch) for about 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
French Onion Soup

Main Dishes to Accompany Your Onion Soup

To complement your Classic French Onion Soup – Easy and Authentic Gratinée Recipe, consider these hearty main courses:

Tips for Success Every Time:

  • Patience with the onions: Don’t rush the caramelization. It enhances the sweetness and depth of the soup.
  • A good wine makes all the difference: No need for an expensive bottle, but choose a wine you’d enjoy drinking.
  • Generous cheese: More cheese equals more satisfaction. Be generous when topping your soup.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I prepare the soup ahead of time?

Yes! French onion soup stores very well. Simply refrigerate it and gently reheat before serving. Assemble the bread and cheese just before broiling.

What can I serve with this soup?

It’s often a meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a light green salad or a glass of dry white wine.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Absolutely! Simply replace the chicken stock with vegetable broth and use plant-based butter instead of duck fat.

Tips for Beginners

  • Practice slicing onions to speed up the process. A mandolin can also help.
  • Watch the cooking temperature: High heat can burn the onions.
  • If you’re new to the recipe, prepare all your elements in advance to make the process easier.

Related Recipes You Might Enjoy

To complement your Classic French Onion Soup – Easy and Authentic Gratinée Recipe, consider these delightful options:

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup: An Essential Recipe from France

French onion soup, a classic of French cuisine, has been warming hearts and tables for centuries. Simple to make yet rich in flavor, it combines easily accessible ingredients to create a dish that impresses. In this article, you'll learn how to easily prepare this comforting soup and some tips to elevate your cooking.
Print The Recipe Pin The Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 45 minutes
Category Entrée
Cuisine French
Portions 4 people
Calories 550 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 yellow onions peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled (for rubbing the bread)
  • 50 g of duck fat or butter as a substitute
  • 125 ml of dry white wine
  • 1 L of chicken stock or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version
  • 1 baguette sliced and toasted
  • 200 g of grated cheese ideally Emmental or Comté
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Caramelize onions in duck fat over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes.
  • Deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Let wine reduce for 5 minutes.
  • Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes.
  • Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Place a slice of garlic-rubbed toasted bread on top, then add a generous amount of grated cheese.
  • Broil until cheese is melted and golden, about 2 minutes.

Video

Notes

Tips for Success Every Time:

  • Patience with the onions: Don’t rush the caramelization. It enhances the sweetness and depth of the soup.
  • A good wine makes all the difference: No need for an expensive bottle, but choose a wine you’d enjoy drinking.
  • Generous cheese: More cheese equals more satisfaction. Be generous when topping your soup.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I prepare the soup ahead of time?
Yes! French onion soup stores very well. Simply refrigerate it and gently reheat before serving. Assemble the bread and cheese just before broiling.
What can I serve with this soup?
It’s often a meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a light green salad or a glass of dry white wine.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Absolutely! Simply replace the chicken stock with vegetable broth and use plant-based butter instead of duck fat.

Tips for Beginners

  • Practice slicing onions to speed up the process. A mandolin can also help.
  • Watch the cooking temperature: High heat can burn the onions.
  • If you’re new to the recipe, prepare all your elements in advance to make the process easier.
Keywords Soup

Suggested Recipes

Looking for more delicious dishes? Here are some suggestions:

 Useful Links

  • 🛒 Michel Dumas Shop : Explore our kitchen essentials, including aprons and knives.
  • 🌐 Linktree : Access all our important links in one place.

📱 YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok :  Follow us for the latest recipes and culinary tips.

Chef

Hello, my name is Michel Dumas and welcome to my blog! I have over 50 years of experience and trained as a cook in France, then came to Canada in the 70s where I was sous chef at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal. Since retiring in 2013, I have been posting recipes on YouTube. At the time, I wanted to show my mother how to cook. My son filmed the video and posted it on YouTube so we could email her the link to watch it. After a few days, we had 50 views on that video. We then decided to make videos every week and now have a fairly large audience that we still can't believe. With the help of my son Jean-Pierre, we transcribed my recipes that can be found on our various social networks onto this blog so they are easier to reproduce and share!

Articles similaires

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *