French Onion Soup

Prep: 20 min · Cook: approx. 1 hr 20 min · Total: approx. 1 hr 40 min · Serves approximately 4 · A slow Sunday project

for Sundays that have nowhere else to be

Deeply caramelised onions, rich beef stock and bubbling Gruyère.

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A note from Essy: If the onions aren't considerably darker than when you started, you're probably not done yet. Properly caramelised onions look almost mahogany, not just softened and golden - give it the time.

Ingredients

• Approx. 1 kg yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 40 g butter
• Olive oil, a little
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flour
• 150 ml dry white wine
• Approx. 1.1 litres good beef stock
• Fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Black pepper
• Baguette, sliced
• Approx. 175 g Gruyère, grated

Method

1. Thinly slice the onions.
2. Melt the butter with a little olive oil in a large, heavy pan over low to medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until they are very soft and deeply golden. Allow around 45-60 minutes; the colour and softness matter more than the clock. If they start to catch, loosen them with a splash of water.
3. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, then stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more so it does not catch.
4. Pour in the white wine, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the beef stock, thyme and bay leaf. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes.
6. Remove the bay leaf and any woody thyme stems. Taste and adjust with black pepper - the beef stock and caramelised onions usually provide enough salt.
7. Toast the baguette slices until crisp and golden.
8. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top each with toast and a generous layer of Gruyère, and set the bowls on a tray.
9. Grill for about 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is deeply bubbling and browned.

• Keep:The soup base (without the bread and cheese) keeps well in the fridge for a few days and freezes well - assemble the baguette-and-Gruyère topping fresh when serving.
• Time:Allow about 1 hour 40 minutes from start to serving, and a little longer if your onions need more time to colour.

Make It Yours

• No white wine: leave it out and deglaze with a splash of the beef stock instead.
• Extra depth: add a small splash of sherry or brandy with the stock.
• Different cheese: a mix of Gruyère and Comté works well if that is what you have.

Good to Know

Written by Esther

Esther is a photographer and storyteller, and the founder of Essy's Essentials - a seasonal home for stories, rituals, recipes and everyday luxuries.

Published 23 September 2026

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