Bowl Me Over Comfort Food

A simple French onion soup turns sweet Vidalia onions, crusty bread and melted Gruyère into tasty cold-weather comfort.

Soup is the perfect antidote to cooler weather. A big pot simmering on the stove engulfs your house with aromas that are comforting to the soul, and nothing warms you up on a chilly night like a bowl of steaming goodness.

French onion soup has a reputation for creating teary eyes in the making and bad breath in the eating, but if you can get past those things, this soup is a kitchen miracle. It transforms a strong and pungent vegetable into something delicate and savory. It is simple to make and requires just a few ingredients.

The soup’s flair is usually based on the type of onion used. Georgia’s official state vegetable, the Vidalia onion, is my onion of choice because of its sweetness. If I wanted to get fancy with this soup, I would make my own beef stock, but since I said this was simple, I recommend using store-bought, boxed stock for this recipe.

Perhaps the best part of this soup is the cheese melted over the top.

I get excited when I pull the soup out of the oven and the cheese is bubbling and running down the crock. If you let it cool for a bit, the cheese that has run over hardens. This crunchy dripping of cheese is my favorite part — I always peel it off to eat first. Traditionally, Gruyère is used because it is sweet yet salty and easily melts. If you can’t find Gruyère, use Mozzarella or Swiss; they are similar in taste and also melt easily.

Like many soups, French onion soup is best accompanied with a bread or cracker. Crunchy Toast is my selected addition because you can use the same baguette in and with the soup, so there is no waste.

I hope you enjoy my delicious rendition of the classic French Onion Soup with Crunchy Toast. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

French Onion Soup

A simple French onion soup turns sweet Vidalia onions, crusty bread and melted Gruyère into tasty cold-weather comfort.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

soup

Keyword

Gruyere, onion, soup

Servings

servings

Ingredients

For the Soup

• 1 lb onions thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 8 ounces Gruyère Cheese sliced (can substitute Mozzarella or Swiss)
• salt and pepper
• fresh parsley chopped for garnish

For the Crunchy Toast

• 1 French baguette
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

Course Main Dish Cuisine soup Keyword Gruyere, onion, soup Servings servings Ingredients For the Soup 1 lb onions thinly sliced 4 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons flour 4 cups beef stock 1/2 cup white wine 1/2 cup sherry vinegar 8 ounces Gruyère Cheese sliced (can substitute Mozzarella or Swiss) salt and pepper fresh parsley chopped for garnish For the Crunchy Toast 1 French baguette 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 teaspoon basil 1/4 teaspoon oregano 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

Instructions

For the Soup

1. In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onions. Stir well, cover the pot and saute the onions over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, until they are opaque and caramelized. Stir occasionally.
2. Sprinkle in the flour to create a thick roux and onion mixture. Add the salt and pepper, beef stock, wine and sherry.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
4. Make the Crunchy Toast (see below)
5. Preheat your oven broiler.
6. In small oven-safe crocks place two pieces of the Crunchy Toast and fill with the onion soup. Top with a slice of Gruyère (cheese lovers add several slices.)
7. Broil under a high broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Serve topped with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.

For the Crunchy Toast

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice the baguette into 1” slices and place on a sheet pan.
3. Divide the butter so that each slice gets a small pat. Sprinkle the bread with the basil, oregano and Parmesan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp.