Best French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

Share

This Best French Onion Soup Recipe can be made on the stove top, in your instant pot or slow cooker.

Looking for more quick and tasty soup recipes, try my Healthy Leek Soup or my homemadeSimple Mushroom Soup.

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (1)

The secret to making the Best French Onion Soup Recipe is to cook those onions real well. Then of course you want a good solid beef stock and some gruyere cheese.

I’ve also shared another French Onion soup recipe with you all a few years back now. That recipe had scallops in it, yes scallops.

That recipe is a tad fancier and was done on the stovetop and then broiled in the oven. Takes a bit longer, but is also a goodie and a bit fancier.

If you want to take a look at that recipe. See here: French Onion Soup Broiled Scallops

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (2)

BEST CHEESE FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP

Gruyere cheese is most popular however you can use Swiss, Mozzarella as well.

I was craving French onion soup as of late. And came up with this delicious recipe in my Instant Pot! Of course this can be made on the stove – top just the same.

FRENCH ONION SOUP BOWLS

Are important to have when completely this soup because your going to want to put this pre -made soup in them under the broiler for the last few mins to heat the soup and broil the cheese.

Image coming home to a warm bowl of French onion soup? But with it taking only half the time to prepare than the average French onion soup recipe, because you let the instant pot cook it?

Yup, you can have it all with this one.

BEST ONIONS FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP

Yellow onions are the best, however this soup can be made with any type of onion just not green of course. It just would not be the same!

FRENCH ONION SOUP BOWLS

Should be oven safe as you will want to place the pre-made soup in them along with the cheese and fresh scallops for baking.

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (3)

ARE FRENCH ONION SOUP BOWLS OVEN SAFE

Some are some are, so if your going to use the oven vs the microwave be certain it is oven safe or it will smash.

INSTANT POT FRENCH ONION SOUP

Recipe, and let me tell you it is WINNER!

Since it all comes together in less than 30 minutes and tastes like you have been laboring all day in the kitchen to make.

WHAT DOES FRENCH ONION SOUP TASTE LIKE

If you have ever had caramelised onions, you will know it has a sweetness to them.

Then once they are simmered in a beef or vegetable broth with spices it becomes absolutely delicious.

So follow along!

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (4)

WHAT KIND OF CHEESE IS ON FRENCH ONION SOUP

Gruyere Cheese, you can also substitutefor provolone cheese or mix the two.

I just use gruyere here and sometimes will even use some mozza if that is all I have on hand.

WHAT ARE THE BEST ONIONS FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP

You can use yellow, white or even red onions for French onion soup.

BEST WINE FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP

A dry white or red wine works best.

FRENCH ONION SOUP RED OR WHITE WINE

Traditionally, in France. This soup is made with white wine and that is because it helps bring out the beef flavor.

SUBSTITUTE FOR RED OR WHITE WINE

You can always substitute Red or White wine with Red wine vinegar, grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice and or chicken, beef, or vegetable stock.

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH ONION SOUP INSTANT POT

There are several ways to make French onion soup.

Some people do it on the stovetop then bring it to the oven to broil it.

While others make it in their instant pot (like in this recipe) and put it either in the microwave to melt the cheese or in the oven at the last minute.

It all comes down to personal preferences.

But one thing is for certain, you want to use lots of onion and a good quality beef stock for this soup!

  • Step one: You will want to slice your onions and then add your butter and olive oil to the instant pot.
  • And turn it on simmer, once the butter has melted you will add in the onions, salt and pepper and 1 package of Knorrs onion soup mix (my secret ingredient)

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (5)

  • Step 2: Saute the onions till browned, turning often.

Now those onions are perfectly browned, baby!

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (6)

Step 3: Add in the beef broth, white or wine, bay leaf and all remaining seasonings.

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (7)

Step 4: Simmer in the instant pot on medium heat all together for 15 more minutes.

Step 5: Discard the bay leaf, then ladle the soup into bowls and top with Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese.

Step 6: Place each individual bowl in the microwave long enough to melt the cheese.

Step 7: You can also place in the oven near the top shelf and broil these bowls (as long as the bowls are oven safe) for 2 minutes.

Step 8: Top with fresh parsley or chives and enjoy!

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (8)

If you want bread in this soup, feel free to add some croutons before the cheese.

HOW TO SERVE FRENCH ONION SOUP

Serve with croutons if desired.

This recipe will make a large pot of soup, so if you have any any leftovers “which is highly unlikely”.

Then you can enjoy it over the next few days orfreeze it as a meal prep option for another time if desired.

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (9)

CAN FRENCH ONION SOUP BE FROZEN

Yes and it even tastes better the next day. So go ahead and make a BIG old pot and save some for another day! Just make sure that you do not freeze it with croutons or the cheese.

Place those on it the day of serving it!

Notes: Keep in mind, as with all my recipes.

If you want to make more or less of this soup, simple adjust the serving size in the ingredients sectionabove and the servings will automatically adjust for you.

And save yourself time and hassle, and let your food processor chop up your beets and cabbage up.

Also it gives a great consistency to the soup.

You are going to want to jot this recipe down, it is a keeper!

IS FRENCH ONION SOUP HEALTHY

Yes, it is packed with onions which are full of antioxidants and compounds that reduce cholesterol levels.

LOOKING FOR SOME MORE AWESOME SOUP RECIPES?

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (10)

    • Gnocchi Sausage Kale Soup
    • Broiled Lasagna Soup
    • Healthy Seafood Soup
    • Thai Carrot Soup

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this recipe i’d love to hear about it! Thank you very much for reading and until next time see ya in the kitchen.Don’t want to miss a recipe?Sign up for ourNEWSLETTERdelivered right to your inbox every Month!

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (11)

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (12)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Can't get any better than this

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsps of Butter
  • 1 tbsp of Olive Oil
  • 3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 package of Knorr Onion Mix
  • 2 x 900 ml Campbells Beef Stock
  • 1 cup of Gruyere or Swiss cheese
  • 1 tbsp of Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp of Thyme
  • 1 tsp of Fresh garlic or powder
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 2 tbsp of Dry White or Red Wine
  • 2 tbsp of chopped parsley or fresh chives to serve

Instructions

  1. You will want to slice your onions and then add your butter and olive oil to the instant pot. And turn it on simmer, once the butter has melted you will add in the onions, salt and pepper and 1 package of Knorrs onion soup mix (my secret ingredient)
  2. Saute the onions till browned, turning often.
  3. Add in the beef broth, white or red wine, bay leaf and all the seasonings.
  4. Simmer in the instant pot on medium heat all together for 15 more minutes.
  5. Discard the bay leaf, then ladle the soup into bowls and top with Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese.
  6. Place each individual bowl in the microwave long enough to melt the cheese. You can also place in the oven near the top shelf and broil these bowls (as long as the bowls are oven safe) for 2 minutes.
  7. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 530Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 1284mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 19gProtein: 28g

These calculations are based off Nutritionix

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Best French Onion Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

My personal go-tos include worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and brandy. Each deepens the flavor of french onion soup. Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce are other great options.

Is chicken stock or beef stock better for French onion soup? ›

Best Broth for French Onion Soup

Take your pick; they're all good. Next comes the stock, which is the second most important component of the soup. Traditionally, the stock of choice for French onion soup is beef stock, but beef stock is very time-consuming to make at home.

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

How can I thicken my French onion soup? ›

The easiest way to thicken your French onion soup is with flour. You can also use cornstarch if you don't have any flour. Remember to never add the flour or cornstarch directly to the soup – otherwise you run the risk of it clumping.

What spices add depth to soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

Why do you add flour to French onion soup? ›

Onion soup, at its very essence, is nothing more than onions and water boiled together. Period, done, finished, everything added from that point on is pure opinion. Caramelizing the onions brings out sugars, and makes a more luxurious silky and sweet soup, adding flour gently thickens and provides body.

What is the best wine to use in French onion soup? ›

Wine is optional to deglaze the pan and add flavour to the soup. I recommend a dry white or red wine, such as a good quality Pinot Grigio/Gris, Sauv Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir. Generally, if you can't drink it, don't cook with it.

Why does my French onion soup taste bitter? ›

Burned onions – result in bitter soup. Be careful to not burn the onions/cook them until they are too dark in color – you don't really need to cook them until they are dark brown – golden brown/light brown is enough.

Which broth is best for soup? ›

On most of the broths and stocks we tasted, the labels listed only “chicken broth” or “chicken stock” as the first ingredient. The Pacific Foods bone broth is a good all-purpose choice for most recipes, and it would even make a fine soup base with additional carrots, onions, and fresh herbs.

Why do you put lemon juice in soup? ›

In this case, however, the lemon provides more of a flavor undertone that enhances other seasonings like thyme, parsley, and turmeric. According to trained chef Leetal Arazi, who spoke with Real Simple, you can bring a "zesty flavor" to your soup simply by adding lemon.

Is French onion soup good for you? ›

Well, you'll be pleased to know that french onion soup is, in fact, a highly nutritious choice. Onions, as part of the Allium family, contain Quercetin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and should not be overlooked as a vegetable when considering your daily 7-a-day.

Why do people put lemon in soup? ›

Lemons are a chicken soup game changer. Why? They brighten up and balance the salty, rich flavors of the dish, and make all of the ingredients come into line.

What is the difference between French onion soup and onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

Does sour cream make soup thicker? ›

Another option for thickening soup is by using dairy like sour cream or yogurt. Start with a small dollop and stir before checking the consistency and adding more. We recommend using plain yogurt so you don't alter the taste of the soup. You can also use cream if you prefer.

How do you doctor up canned French onion soup? ›

Infusing the soup with a richer taste is as easy as quickly sauteing crushed garlic before pouring the soup in. Some soft, buttery garlic sauteed in earthy olive oil is the perfect addition to enrich canned French onion soup.

How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

How do you reduce acidity in French onion soup? ›

You can try adding a pinch of baking soda, a small amount of sugar, or a splash of dairy such as milk, cream, or yogurt. These ingredients can help to balance out the acidity and make the soup more palatable.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. Nancy Dach

Last Updated:

Views: 6050

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. Nancy Dach

Birthday: 1993-08-23

Address: 569 Waelchi Ports, South Blainebury, LA 11589

Phone: +9958996486049

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Web surfing, Scuba diving, Mountaineering, Writing, Sailing, Dance, Blacksmithing

Introduction: My name is Prof. Nancy Dach, I am a lively, joyous, courageous, lovely, tender, charming, open person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.