Dutch Oven French Onion Soup (Printable View)

Caramelized onions simmered in rich broth, topped with toasted baguette and melted Gruyère cheese for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Onions

01 - 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

→ Aromatics

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Broth & Flavorings

06 - 8 cups beef broth or vegetable broth
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Topping

12 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
13 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
14 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Add the sliced onions and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deeply caramelized, approximately 40-45 minutes.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Add the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves.
05 - While soup simmers, preheat oven broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden, approximately 1-2 minutes per side.
06 - Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with a toasted baguette slice and generous handful of Gruyère cheese and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Place bowls on a baking sheet and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 2-4 minutes.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra thyme if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The caramelization happens in one pot, so cleanup is mercifully simple and the whole kitchen smells like a French bistro.
  • Those broiled cheese-topped bowls arrive at the table bubbling and dramatic, making even a weeknight feel like an occasion.
  • Once you nail the onion timing, you've got a showstopper that actually gets easier to make each time.
02 -
  • The caramelization truly cannot be rushed—I learned this the hard way by trying to turn up the heat, which just burned the bottom onions and made them bitter instead of sweet.
  • Using oven-safe bowls is non-negotiable; regular bowls will crack under the broiler's heat, a mistake I made only once before learning my lesson.
03 -
  • Buy quality beef broth or make your own stock—it's the canvas for everything else, and it shows in the final bowl.
  • Grate your cheese fresh rather than using pre-shredded; it melts smoother and tastes noticeably better under the broiler.
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