Try this Easy French Onion Soup Recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 26.0149018710815 g
- Cholesterol 43.8073437598107 mg
- Fat 17.5816509414243 g
- Fiber 2.65195005249977 g
- Protein 9.35936031369523 g
- Saturated Fat 10.3831262524556 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (311g)
- Sodium 943.954643586152 mg
- Sugar 23.3629518185818 g
- Trans Fat 2.81707968776924 g
- Calories 297 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large pot melt butter and combine onions, thyme and bay leaf over medium high heat. Stir and cook onions for about 20 minutes or until really soft and tender.
- Add red cooking wine and stir, breaking up any browned bits on the bottom of pan, let liquid reduce to half the amount. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat.
- Pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf.
- Meanwhile turn your oven on to broil and prepare oven safe bowl on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, divide the croutons among the bowls, top each bowl with a slice of cheese. Carefully place in oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Use caution when serving, as the bowls will be HOT! Enjoy!
Scaling Potency and Quantities
Doubling this recipe requires paying close attention to surface area within your pot. Three large yellow onions already create a substantial pile that taxes a standard three-quart Dutch oven, so moving to a wider six-quart vessel prevents steam from trapping too efficiently and delaying the crucial browning phase. When multiplying liquids past four cups, increase the red cooking wine proportionally but monitor the reduction stage carefully because excess moisture requires extra minutes to evaporate before flour incorporation.
Managing Timing and Sequence
Properly softening yellow onions takes twenty minutes of steady medium-high heat, a duration that cannot be rushed without risking burnt rather than caramelized edges. Scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate browned bits adds essential depth to the beef broth while the liquid simmers for five to ten minutes. Utilizing a foil-lined baking sheet beneath your oven-safe bowls catches inevitable cheese drips during the final broil, protecting your heating element from smoke.
Adapting Dairy and Bread Elements
Havarti cheese melts into a rich, semi-soft blanket over the garlic croutons, yielding a stretchy texture quite distinct from traditional Gruyère. If substituting other cheeses, aim for varieties with high moisture and fat content that liquefy under a broiler set to high within three minutes. Stale bread cubes absorb the broth without disintegrating instantly, maintaining structural integrity beneath the bubbling dairy layer until the very last spoonful.
