Bistro French Onion Soup

My Bistro French Onion Soup is so warm, comforting and flavorful, nobody would ever guess it is super quick and easy to make!

French onion soup is a classic hearty rich soup. It was originally considered poor man’s food as onions were bountiful, cheap and they stored easily. Today you will find it on all types of menu’s from mainstream establishments to elegant restaurants.

So let’s talk the star of the soup. The onion. The best type to use is a sweet onion like the Vidalia. This is my choice because I can always get them where I live, but you can use whatever is native to your area. If you can’t find sweet onions, my next choice would be yellow. I have tried other varieties and the taste was noticeably different.

Another main ingredient is the broth. Home made beef stock is awesome if you have some, but if you don’t, store bought is fine. I have found that supplementing the beef broth with some consomme (which has a much richer flavor) will give it that depth of home made.

The Method of Bistro French Onion Soup

ingredients:

• butter
• Vidalia onions 
• kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• garlic
• bay leaves
• thyme 
• red wine
• flour
• sherry
• beef stock
• beef consomme
• Worcestershire sauce
• baguette
• extra virgin olive oil
• gruyere cheese or swiss

basic directions:

The first step to my French Onion Soup is to slice the onions and mince the garlic. That is the bulk of the prep. Add the onions to melted butter in a heavy duty dutch oven or soup pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and herbs and cook 2-3 minutes. Pour in the wine and reduce. Toast the flour 2-3 minutes. Next add the sherry, stock and consomme.

While the soup simmers, slice and toast the baguette under the broiler. When the soup is done, ladle it into bowls. Top with the baguette and cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling!

Cook’s Notes:

tips for success:

This dish uses few ingredients, so make sure to use great fresh ingredients for maximum flavor.

recipe variations:

Switch out the beef stock for a vegetable stock, skip the consomme and use a vegan cheese to make a vegetarian/vegan soup. UPDATE: my son and his girlfriend are pescetarians and recently made this using mushroom stock with a vegetable bouillon cube and LOVED it!

Try Caesar Croutons instead of a baguette… they are not only a delicious alternative, but it is a quick and easy substitute that is packed with flavor!

serving suggestions:

What goes better with soup than a salad? I like to make this a complete meal by serving My Harvest Pear and Walnut Salad with it!

storage:

The soup itself will last several days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Do not add the bread and cheese before storing.

The Essentials:

If you make my Bistro French Onion Soup and love it, I would love for you to come back and give it 5 stars!