Traditional French onion soupdeeply browned onions and bubbling Gruyere toast
Parisian-style onion soup with slowly browned onions, beef stock and wine, crowned with bread and Gruyere and gratinated until bubbling.
The gratinée depends on patient onion browning, not added sugar. Rich broth is ladled into ovenproof bowls before toast and Gruyere form the bubbling crust.
Ingredients
Soup
Gratin topping
Seasoning
Preparation
Slice the onions
Slice onions evenly and thinly so they brown at the same rate.
15 minutesBrown patiently
Cook onions in butter over medium-low heat until deep chestnut, stirring often.
50 minutesDeglaze and thicken
Stir flour briefly, add wine and scrape every browned bit from the pot.
5 minutesSimmer the soup
Add hot beef stock, season and simmer until flavors combine.
15 minutesPrepare the toasts
Toast thick bread slices until dry and cover with Gruyere.
8 minutesGratinate and serve
Ladle into ovenproof bowls, float toast and broil until deeply bubbling.
7 minutes
Substitutions
Use equivalent ingredients only when they preserve the dish’s defining flavor and cooking behavior.
Storage
Cool promptly, cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently when appropriate.
Approximate shelf life: Up to 3 days refrigerated.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.
