Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes French Onion Soup 4.0 (278) 25 Reviews Topped with cheese toasts, this deeply savory soup is a cold weather classic. By Greg Lofts Greg Lofts Greg Lofts is a New York City-based food stylist and recipe developer with 20+ years of professional experience. He was the former deputy food editor at Martha Stewart Living for six plus years, and his work can be found in editorial and television outlets such as Bon Appétit, Epicurious.com, Condé Nast Traveler, Martha Bakes, Next Food Network Star Season 8, Kitchen Boss with Buddy Valastr, and many more. Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 19, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Servings: 6 Jump to recipe There's nothing like French onion soup on a cold day, and thankfully, this bistro classic is easy to make at home. Our recipe uses sweet Vidalia onions, and the key is to cook them low and slow so that they caramelize to get the characteristic flavor of this Gallic classic. The other key element is a rich beef stock—and we add a touch of Marsala, Madeira, or port for even more depth of flavor. We love to serve the soup in ovenproof bowls so you can broil the Gruyère-topped toast in each portion—just like they do in Paris. 32 Classic French Recipes That Bring the Bistro Closer to Home Jenny Huang Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced (9 cups) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon) 3 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper ½ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine 2 quarts beef stock, preferably homemade ⅓ cup sweet Marsala, Madeira, or port wine 6 slices French bread or other soft country loaf (each 1 inch thick), lightly toasted 8 ounces Gruyère, coarsely grated (2 cups) Directions Cook onions slowly: Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to turn golden, 35 to 40 minutes (if onions develop color quickly, reduce heat). Add butter and seasonings and cook: Add butter, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring a few times, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add vermouth and boil, then add stock and Marsala and simmer: Add vermouth and boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in stock and Marsala. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer 45 minutes. Season to taste. Preheat broiler: divide soup between bowls, add toast and cheese and broil: Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into broiler-safe crocks or bowls set on a rimmed baking sheet. Nestle a piece of toast into each, partially submerged, and top each with 1/3 cup Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown in places, 2 to 4 minutes. Make-Ahead French Onion Soup You can make the soup ahead, without the toast and cheese. Cool it and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months. 5 More Soup Recipes to Try Vegetarian French Onion Soup With Mushrooms French Mushroom Soup Potato Leek Soup Spring Onion Soup Everyday Vegetable Soup Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, January/February 2021 Rate It PRINT