Sweet French Onion Soup Recipes

JULIA CHILD'S FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Place a heavy-bottom stockpot or dutch oven on a stove over medium-low heat. Add cooking oil and butter. Saute onions until evenly coated with oil and butter.
• Cover the pot and let it sit until onions are soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. For caramelized onions, turn the heat to medium or medium-high. Stir in sugar and salt and cook uncovered, stirring often until onions are browned and reduced.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the flour and butter form a thick paste. If paste not achieved, add more butter.
• Mix in 1 cup of warm beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching. Stir in the remaining stock and wine. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.
• For the croutons or toasted bread, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Drizzle bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 15 minutes at 325 degrees F. Flip the slices over and bake for another 15 minutes.
• Once the soup has simmered, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour the soup into a casserole dish. Stir in cognac, the 1/2 raw onion (grated), and a few ounces of Swiss cheese.
• Top the soup with toasted bread in a single layer. Top the bread with the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Be sure all the edges of bread are covered to avoid burning. Drizzle with oil or melted butter.
• Bake the casserole at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler and brown the cheeses.
• Let the soup cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, 45 to 55 minutes. In the beginning, you will only need to stir the onions only occasionally. As they start to brown midway through cooking, you will need to stir them frequently, scraping the fond (the brown particles) from the bottom of the pan. If the onions are browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly or add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and continue cooking.
• Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any fond from the bottom of the pan, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are jammy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
• Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves and add the sherry; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If the soup needs a deeper flavor, try a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. If it's not quite sweet enough, add ¼ teaspoon sugar.
• Adjust an oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on a baking sheet and divide the hot soup among the crocks (be sure the soup is very hot as it won't warm up much in the oven). Top each crock with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère and then Parmigianno Reggiano. Slide the crocks into the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the crocks cool for a few minutes before serving. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each toast slice with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide the soup among bowls and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The soup can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese), or up to 3 months ahead and frozen. Toasts can be made (without the cheese) and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half-moon shapes. Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.
• Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency. Add consomme, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler.
• Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks. Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute.
• Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac. Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip. Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened, 10-13 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook 2 minutes longer., Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper and salt; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush both sides with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Bake until toasted, 3-5 minutes on each side. Rub toasts with halved garlic. , To serve, place twelve 8-oz. broiler-safe bowls or ramekins on baking sheets; place 2 toasts in each. Ladle with soup; top with cheese. Broil 4 in. from heat until cheese is melted.

SWEET FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Peel onions and slice 1/8 inch thick.
• Melt butter in a large pot. Add onions and garlic; saute, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft.
• Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, worcestershire and bay leafs.
• Pour in wine and all but one can of broth. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
• Mix flour in remaining 1 can broth.
• Stir into boiling soup.
• Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1-2 hours.
• Serve with Fench bread and cheddar cheese (if desired) to top.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to turn golden, 35 to 40 minutes (if onions develop color quickly, reduce heat).
• Add butter, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring a few times, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add vermouth and boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in stock and Marsala. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer 45 minutes. Season to taste.
• Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into broiler-safe crocks or bowls set on a rimmed baking sheet. Nestle a piece of toast into each, partially submerged, and top each with 1/3 cup Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown in places, 2 to 4 minutes. (Soup without toast and cheese can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days, or frozen up to 6 months.)

SWEET FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add onions to pan; saute for 5 minutes or until tender.
• Stir in sugar, pepper, and salt.
• Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Increase heat to medium-high, and saute for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.
• Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute.
• Add brothe and thyme; bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours.
• Preheat broiler to low.
• Plave bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.
• Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan.
• Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl.
• Divide bread evenly among bowls and top with 1 slice cheese each.
• Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.