Try this French Onion Soup recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
- 3 large yellow onions sliced not too thin, not too thick (8 cups)
- generous pinch salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (i use sauvignon blanc)
- 4 cups gluten-free beef broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 slices schar artisan baker 10 grains & seeds bread
- 4 slices swiss cheese
- 4 oz shredded gruyere
- Carbohydrate 11.5875645348398 g
- Cholesterol 46.4360379165405 mg
- Fat 15.0445563980074 g
- Fiber 1.99650005364418 g
- Protein 9.78214971113586 g
- Saturated Fat 9.05571480546566 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (153g)
- Sodium 182.318397718024 mg
- Sugar 9.5910644811956 g
- Trans Fat 0.905933751553732 g
- Calories 217 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt butter and 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large, 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add onions and salt then stir to coat and place a lid on top.
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, then remove lid and continue sautéing onions for 1 - 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 10-15 minutes, or until onions are very tender and caramelized.
- Turn the heat down if necessary to avoid searing the onions.
- Turn heat up to medium-high then sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add wine and worcestershire sauce then simmer until mixture has thickened and the liquid has nearly evaporated, 1-2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf then turn the heat up to high to bring the soup to a boil.
- Turn heat down to medium/medium-low then gently simmer for 1 hour, occasionally stirring and skimming off fat from the top if necessary.
- Remove bay leaf and thyme stems then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the bread: Preheat oven to 325 degrees then line a half sheet pan with a silpat or foil.
- Cut bread slices into cubes then add to the sheet pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a heavy dash of salt.
- Toss with your fingers to coat then spread cubes out and bake for 14-15 minutes, stirring once, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Switch oven to broiler mode then place an oven rack in the second highest spot.
- Scoop soup into 4, oven-proof crocks then top with croutons, a slice of swiss cheese, and a quarter of the grated gruyere cheese, letting some hang off the edge of the crocks.
- Place crocks back onto prepared sheet pan then broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
Yellow onions drive this entire dish, relying on the slow breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars during prolonged heat exposure. Slicing these alliums to a uniform thickness ensures even moisture release, preventing jagged pieces from burning before the cell walls fully collapse. Trapping steam under a lid during the initial twenty minutes accelerates this softening phase without requiring excessive added fat. Lowering the burner threshold during the subsequent hour prevents harsh scorching while Maillard reactions build complex savory notes.
Heavy-bottomed vessels, specifically a six-quart Dutch oven, distribute thermal energy uniformly across the cooking surface to prevent hot spots. Thinner aluminum pans create localized scorching zones that impart bitter pyrolytic off-flavors to the broth base. Enamiled cast iron retains steady heat, stabilizing internal temperatures when cold liquids enter the pot during de-glazing. Stirring every ten to fifteen minutes redistributes sugars evenly across the base, guaranteeing consistent browning without constant manual intervention.
Deglazing with dry white wine introduces acetic and tartaric acids that dissolve caramelized fond stuck to the bottom of the pot. Sauvignon blanc brings a bright herbaceous profile, whereas preserved cooking wines often contain added sodium and preservatives that unbalance the seasoning. Scraping the pan thoroughly while the wine simmer-reduces for one to two minutes releases those concentrated umami compounds directly into the liquid phase. Combining beef and chicken broths balances gelatin richness with leaner poultry depth, creating a savory foundation that supports the heavy cheese topping.
Broiling requires positioning the oven rack in the second highest slot to direct intense radiant heat straight onto the grated gruyere and Swiss cheese slices. Oven-proof ceramic crocks must withstand direct thermal shock without cracking under the broiler element. Allowing portions of the cheese to drape over the rim creates crispy, caramelized edges that contrast texturally with the softened bread cubes underneath. Serving immediately preserves the structural integrity of the toasted bread before it absorbs too much broth moisture.
