Can I make French onion soup for a crowd?

Yes‚ you can make the soup mixture in a larger pot to serve family or group-size portions․ You may want to use a larger pot so that added ingredients‚ including onions‚ will cook evenly․ Broil additional bowls in separate batches if you cannot broil all the bowls at the same time․ You might also want to toast a slice of cheese on bread on a baking sheet and place one slice in each bowl․

How can I serve this to picky eaters?

Offer bread and cheese choices for people who don't want to add toppings to their soup․ Onion broth soup can be eaten plain․ Gruyère is a popular cheese for topping onion broth soup‚ but other choices include Fontina and Gouda․ Toasted bread may help keep cheese from falling into the soup․

Can I make French onion soup without wine?

Yes‚ you can make other substitutions for wine in the soup if you choose not to include wine․ Consider adding one tablespoon of cider vinegar as a substitute for the dry sherry‚ as suggested‚ for sour flavor․ Most soup flavor will come from caramelized onions and broth․ Stir cider vinegar into the deglazing liquid to incorporate browned bits from the pan․

Can I make French onion soup ahead?

Yes‚ cook the soup thoroughly in advance without the bread and cheese topping․ Reheat the soup on the stove to serving temperature as needed․ Add the topping just before broiling‚ as the bread will become too wet if prepped ahead of time․ Refrigerate the soup and topping separately and serve together․

How do I avoid bitter French onion soup?

Cook onions over low to medium heat until deeply browned․ Onions should be soft and syrupy‚ not overly dark brown or burnt․ Stir onions as needed to keep them from sticking while their sugars caramelize․ Other things that can contribute bitterness to your soup include bitter broth or too much Worcestershire sauce․

Easy French Onion Soup with Jammy Caramelized Onions and Gruyère

By Isabella QuinnSep 24, 2026

1.0(1)

Servings

Level

Easy

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Suggest serving this French onion‌ soup as‌ an entrée on warm days․ Caramelized‌ onions give the‌ beef soup a touch of sweetness․ You can offer a French‌ baguette and a topping of Gruyère cheese‌ for savory and cheesy contrast․ There is‌ no added sugar in this classic‌ French onion soup recipe․

Easy French Onion Soup with Jammy Caramelized Onions and Gruyère

Olive‌ oil and butter are‌ used for sautéing onions․ Olive oil helps keep butter from burning‌ during‌ cooking․ Butter imparts‌ flavor to‌ the onions․ White wine‌ and dry sherry are used for‌ deglazing․ Flour is used to‌ form a‌ roux․ Beef‌ stock‚ bay leaf‚ thyme‚ and Worcestershire sauce are‌ simmered․ Baguettes are‌ prepared‌ separately․ Gruyère cheese is broiled on top of soup‌ served‌ in bowls․

The onion must be soft and golden (that is‚ almost caramelized) when you add‌ the deglazing liquid․ The broth should be thick‌ but not chunky after adding flour․ Pitfalls of making this dish‌ include overcooking the onion‚ which can result in a bitter taste․ You can prevent this by‌ cooking the onion low and slow‚ stirring often‚ until golden․

Serve the bowls with vegetables‚ such as a vegetable salad or other sautéed or roasted vegetables‚ right after broiling․ The soup broth can be made ahead of time․ Stale bread will get soggy and sink to the bottom of reheated soup․ Toast served with reheated soup has the texture you want in the soup․

Why you'll love this recipe

It is a good entrée choice for cold weather because it includes both liquid and solid elements‚ such as broth‚ toasted baguette‚ and melted Gruyère cheese․
Families can make all servings of soup with bread and cheese toppings to prevent leftover bread and cheese on top of servings of soup for family members.
The onion sauce can be made ahead of time‚ and the topping is optional to save preparation time when served as part of a meal․
A limited number of ingredients can provide many flavor benefits‚ such as when onions are cooked slowly․
This recipe is a good choice if you do not have other ingredients available but want to cook at home inexpensively․
Guests can eat restaurant-style portions cooked in individual broilers․ Food is prepared in a soup pot and a baking dish․
Leftover soup can be consumed plain․ Adding toasted bread to reheated soup helps recreate the original crunch․
Wine and sherry in the recipe can be replaced to allow home cooks to prepare the dish with similar outcomes but without alcohol in the soup․

Instructions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add the onions, salt, and black pepper.

Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and deep golden brown.

Deglaze the pot with the dry white wine and dry sherry.

Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until the flour is fully mixed in.

Slowly add 1 cup of broth while stirring constantly.

Stir in the remaining broth, bay leaf, fresh thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden at the edges.

Turn on the broiler.

Divide the finished soup among oven-safe soup bowls.

Top each bowl with a piece of toasted bread.

Sprinkle the bread generously with Gruyère cheese.

Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown around the edges.

FAQ

Serve French onion soup as a main dish with a small salad or sautéed or roasted vegetables․ French onion soup can be a standalone main dish because it includes toasted bread and Gruyère cheese․ Keep side dishes lightly seasoned so they don't compete with flavors in the French onion soup․ Bring bowls to the table immediately after broiling to prevent the bread from getting too wet and the cheese from falling into the soup․

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