French onion soup is one of those dishes that can sometimes feel impossible to find outside of a restaurant, but the reality is that this delicious soup isn’t all that hard to make – it’s just time- consuming! Easy French onion soup might feel like a dream, but with a little know-how and a little time, it doesn’t have to be all that hard.
French Onion Soup: Simple to Make, But Patience Is Required
The main obstacle of making French onion soup is that you need to wait for the onions to caramelize, which can seem a little daunting and time-consuming if it’s a process you’re unfamiliar with. Fortunately, caramelizing onions isn’t difficult, but you will need a little over an hour of time to complete it. For most of that first hour, all you’ll need to do is stir your onions occasionally – meaning your hands are free to work on other dishes, read a book or even study up on more recipes!
So gather together your ingredients, including freshly picked onions from Eckert’s, and let’s get started.
Eat well!
Ingredients
- 5 large yellow onions
- 3 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 8 slices French bread
- 1 1/2 cups grated gruyere cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by peeling and slicing your onions from root to stem into half-circumference strips.
- In a Dutch oven, add the extra-virgin olive oil and warm to medium heat. Add the onions and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Cover the onions and allow them to cook until they have softened, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the onions and add the 2 tablespoons of butter. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the onions until they begin to brown, about 20-40 minutes. If the onions begin to brown quickly, reduce the heat and continue to cook.
- Cook until the onions are thoroughly browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- In a small saucepan, warm the beef broth over low heat.
- When the onions have finished caramelizing, add the white wine to deglaze the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom and sides as you go. Once the mixture has begun to boil, stir in the flour and allow the mixture to thicken.
- Add the warm broth and fresh thyme leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat. Cook for about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- While the soup is simmering, align your slices of French bread on a baking sheet lightly greased with olive oil. Toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes or to preference.
- To serve, ladle soup into individual oven-proof bowls and place a slide of bread on top. Sprinkle grated gruyere on top of each bowl generously, then place in a broiling oven. Broil the soup bowls for about a minute or two until the cheese has melted and browned.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Be the first to leave a comment!