Easy French Onion Soup Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

Olive oil – Add this when carmelizing the onions. Fresh thyme – This infuses the broth with fresh herby flavor and is scooped out just before the bread and cheese are added. Dry white wine – I use sauvignon blanc to deglaze the pan. Brandy – This enhances the other flavors.

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Meanwhile, open your soup from it's packaging and place it in an oven safe bowl cheese side up. I'm using a 2 cup pyrex which has plenty of capacity for the soup- it's okay for the soup to start out taller than the bowl as long as there is enough overall space when it melts.

One technique I wanted to test was using baking soda to speed up browning reactions, which works by raising the pH—foods brown more quickly in alkaline environments.

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

If you don't add enough salt, pepper, or other herbs and spices, the soup may taste bland.

Infusing the soup with a richer taste is as easy as quickly sauteing crushed garlic before pouring the soup in. Some soft, buttery garlic sauteed in earthy olive oil is the perfect addition to enrich canned French onion soup.

That said, French onion soup's other key ingredients are beef broth and gruyere cheese, which accounts for its utterly decadent and robust balance of sweet, creamy, and umami. For umami-rich beef dishes and ultra-creamy cheeses, red wine's complexity, fruitiness, and bitter finish are the optimal choices.

With such a soup, a knife is your friend, not your enemy. Using both the soup spoon and the knife, push the baked cheese against the rim of the cup or bowl and cut it gently with the knife. Once you've broken the cheese barrier, you can use the knife again to nudge bits of cheese onto the spoon.

restaurants serve French onion soup in a Lion Head soup bowl made of porcelain, because of the style and also, because it is an oven-safe bowl.

In this case, however, the lemon provides more of a flavor undertone that enhances other seasonings like thyme, parsley, and turmeric. According to trained chef Leetal Arazi, who spoke with Real Simple, you can bring a "zesty flavor" to your soup simply by adding lemon.

Why is my French onion soup sour? ›

It might be because of the stock or that you used onions that has sour flavor such as white onions. To solve this problem u might have to mixed the onions with other kind of onions. My suggestion is to mix in yellow onions and red onions that have more sugar content.

What is the best way to thicken French onion soup? The easiest way to thicken your French onion soup is with flour.

What Is French Onion Soup? French onion soup, or soupe à l'oignon gratinée, is a classic French dish made with caramelized onions and beef stock or broth. The soup is topped with bread and cheese, then gratinéed to rich, gooey perfection. It's traditionally served in a ramekin or a ceramic crock with a handle.

The classic French onion soup gets its name from its country of origin: France. After making its debut in the 18th century, it has become a national treasure. During ancient times (and still today), onions were cheap and easy to grow, and hence, readily available.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Cheese: To me, there is no better cheese in a French onion soup than Gruyere! However, shredded Swiss or provolone also works very well. Just be sure to find something that is easily shredded or grated, as that's what will give you that amazing gooey, melty cheese we all love.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Onion soup, at its very essence, is nothing more than onions and water boiled together. Period, done, finished, everything added from that point on is pure opinion. Caramelizing the onions brings out sugars, and makes a more luxurious silky and sweet soup, adding flour gently thickens and provides body.

Adding a touch of acidity, such as lemon juice or a splash of vinegar, can help cut through the richness of the onions. Additionally, adding sweeter ingredients like carrots, bell peppers, or even a pinch of sugar can help counterbalance the strong taste.