French Onion Soup
Classic French onion soup with homemade beef stock, caramelized onions and cheesy crostini topping
Rich, deeply savory French onion soup featuring slow-caramelized onions in a homemade beef stock base, finished with a bubbling gruyere and parmesan crust over crisp thyme crostinis.
Equipment
Ingredients
Homemade Beef Stock
beef bones (raw)
2 kg
tomato paste (raw)
70 g
yellow onion (large pieces)
1 piece
carrots (large pieces)
3 piece
celery ribs (large pieces)
3 piece
fresh thyme (bunch)
10 g
fresh parsley (bunch)
10 g
black peppercorns (whole)
6 g
bay leaves (dried)
2 piece
water (room temperature)
1900 ml
Soup
yellow onions (thinly sliced)
5 piece
unsalted butter (room temperature)
85 g
olive oil (liquid)
60 ml
all-purpose flour (dry)
30 g
white wine (room temperature)
240 ml
cognac (room temperature)
80 ml
homemade beef stock (warm)
1500 ml
bay leaves (dried)
2 piece
fresh rosemary (sprigs)
6 g
fresh thyme (bunch)
5 g
beef bouillon (powder)
10 g
worcestershire sauce (liquid)
30 ml
salt (fine)
5 g
black pepper (ground)
2 g
Crostinis
baguette (½ inch thick)
12 slice
salted butter (melted)
40 g
fresh thyme leaves (finely chopped)
1 g
Garnish
gruyere cheese (grated)
340 g
parmesan cheese (grated)
50 g
chives (thinly sliced)
6 g
Instructions
Prepare and roast beef bones
Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly coat beef bones with tomato paste on all sides.
Roast the bones
Place coated bones on a large baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until deeply browned and caramelized.
Cook the stock
Transfer roasted bones to a large pot or pressure cooker with all remaining stock ingredients. Pressure cook for 1.5 hours or simmer in a regular pot for 4-6 hours.
Strain the stock
Strain the finished stock through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
Caramelize the onions
Set a large pot over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once butter melts, add onions and season generously with salt. Mix to coat onions with fat.
Slow-caramelize onions
Cover with lid and cook, stirring often for 1–1.5 hours until deeply caramelized. Adjust heat as needed and remove lid after 30 minutes. If onions start to burn, add a splash of water and scrape bottom.
Add flour and deglaze
Once onions are fully caramelized, add flour and cook 2-3 minutes until raw flour smell is gone. Add white wine and cognac, reduce 4-6 minutes until most liquid evaporates.
Simmer the soup
Add beef stock, beef bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Tie herbs and bay leaves with butcher’s twine and add to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Prepare crostinis
Preheat oven to 190°C. In a bowl, toss baguette slices with melted butter, thyme, salt and pepper.
Bake crostinis
Arrange crostinis on a baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden.
Season the soup
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Assemble bowls
Mix gruyere and parmesan. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with generous cheese, two crostinis, then more cheese.
Broil the cheese
Place bowls on a sheet tray and broil 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and golden.
Cool and serve
Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes. Garnish with chives and serve.
Original recipe
Storage
Store soup and crostinis separately. Cheese topping best prepared fresh.
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