French Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 3 pounds Yellow Onions (peeled, trimmed, thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra virgin)
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (cut into pieces)
• 0.5 teaspoon Granulated Sugar (helps caramelization)
• 2 cloves Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 0.5 cup Dry Sherry (dry, for deglazing)
• 8 cups Beef Stock (prefer stock for richness)
• 1.5 teaspoons Salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 leaf Bay Leaf (remove before serving)
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme (remove stems before serving)
• 1 piece Baguette (cut into ½‑inch diagonal slices (≈12 slices))
• 8 ounces Gruyère Cheese (shredded using large holes of a box grater)
• 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Onions

   Trim the root and stem ends, peel off the outer dry layers, then thinly slice the onions parallel to the grain.

   Time: PT15M

2. Sauté Onions in Oil & Butter

   Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat until butter melts, then add all sliced onions.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium

3. Caramelize the Onions

   Sprinkle ½ tsp granulated sugar over the onions and continue sautéing uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes until deep golden‑brown and sweet.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: medium

4. Add Garlic

   Mince 2 large garlic cloves and stir into the caramelized onions, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: medium

5. Deglaze with Sherry

   Pour in ½ cup dry sherry, scraping the browned bits from the pot, and simmer for 3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium

6. Add Stock and Herbs, Simmer

   Add 8 cups beef stock, 1 tsp salt, 1 bay leaf, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Bring to a boil, partially cover, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: simmer

7. Prepare Cheesy Croutons

   While the soup simmers, slice the baguette into ½‑inch diagonal pieces, brush both sides with olive oil, arrange on a baking sheet, and bake at 400°F for 6‑8 minutes until golden brown.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: 400°F

8. Shred Gruyère Cheese

   Using the large holes of a box grater, shred the 8‑oz block of Gruyère cheese.

   Time: PT5M

9. Final Seasoning

   Taste the soup and add an additional ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

   Time: PT2M

10. Assemble and Broil

    Ladle hot soup into oven‑safe bowls, sprinkle a generous handful of shredded Gruyère into each, top with 2‑3 toasted baguette slices, add more cheese on top, and place under the broiler for 3‑5 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: broiler

11. Garnish and Serve

    Garnish each bowl with a small sprig of fresh thyme or chopped chives and serve immediately.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

280

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

3 g