Onion Soup
If you've got bouquet garni, red port wine and stale french bread, you're most of the way to this beef: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and grill / broiler. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Peel and thinly slice the onions. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and stir to coat.
- Cook the onions slowly for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until they are deeply golden brown and caramelised; do not rush this stage as it gives the soup its colour and sweetness.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to cook it out, then gradually pour in the beef stock while stirring to avoid lumps.
- Add the bouquet garni, bring to a simmer and cook gently uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, then stir in the port wine and season to taste with salt and pepper, discarding the bouquet garni.
- Meanwhile, lightly toast the slices of stale french bread until crisp on both sides.
- Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls, float two slices of toasted bread on each and pile the grated gruyère generously on top.
- Place the bowls under a hot grill for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling and golden, then serve immediately while piping hot.
You'll use: Oven · Grill / broiler · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Onion Soup take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Onion Soup is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: French Onion Soup, Applebee's.jpg by Jim G, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.