We are planning a trip to Paris in May and I’m looking forward to authentic French onion soup. I can’t wait to taste the caramelized onions in an umami broth, which includes wine and maybe some sherry vinegar, with a crusty baguette covered in melted gruyere or swiss cheese.

I had a friend, Jayne, who just returned from Paris, bragging about the soup I also remember from a trip there long ago and it dawned on me that I had never made French Onion Soup. I loved the idea of having to find a new recipe, tweak it to my personal taste and inviting her over.

The first thing I had to do was order authentic french onion crocks that I could put under the broiler to lightly brown and melt the cheese.

I read quite a few recipes with various opinions on onions, cheese, croutons, wine, sherry vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. I can happily say I hit it well on the first try, but pulled it tighter on the second try.

I made it twice within a few days, mainly to tweak the bread and the cheese. The soup itself was rich and delicious. The onions were perfectly caramelized to yield a sweet flavor amid an umami broth made with white wine and organic beef broth.

The Best French Onion Soup Crocks

The first thing I did was to order the soup crocks on Amazon. So many choices:

Size which range from 16 ounce to 28 ounce.
Color (the traditional beautiful brown crock or the newer modern neutral crocks).
Oven safe, specifically, broiler safe.
Lid or No Lid.

I chose these 22-ounce traditional brown crocks that can sit under a broiler while the cheese melts. They are timeless, beautiful and serve for many other purposes. I opted no lid, for stackable reasons.

What is French Onion Soup?

French oven soup is a much beloved soup made with beef broth, flavored with white wine, sherry or sherry vinegar, and is perfectly balanced soup of deep rich flavor. The onions are caramelized into sweetness with butter, absorbing the rich broth for more flavor and then topped with toasted bread and melted swiss or gruyere cheese.

Ingredients for Onion Soup

You have to make a few choices in making French Onion Soup.

Onions (Yellow or White)
Bread (French Baguette or Croutons)
Wine (White or Red Wine)
Sherry Vinegar or Worcestershire (maybe both)
Cheese (Gruyere or Swiss)
Beef Broth (Boxed or Homemade)
Thyme Sprigs

What Kind of Bread to Use for French Onion Soup?

The best kind of bread is French Baguette, because it toasts very crispy to almost crouton style. The bread is small in diameter, so I like to use two pieces, side by side. You might also be able to use a sourdough bread, but test out how well it toasts. Just don’t use white toast bread, as it will quickly disintegrate into the soup.

What Kind of Onions for French Onion Soup?

The first time I made the onion soup, I used yellow onions, which are the ones in the brown skin. The second time I mixed it up just to see if there would be a difference. I think the yellow onions caramelize better. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use other onions. This is a very flexible recipe, if you get the technique right.

Process for Caramelizing Onions

Slice onions thinly and do your best to slice evenly.
Add butter and oil to pan, on low heat.
Turn about every ten minutes.
TIP: Use a cast iron pan for this part for best results. You can use an enameled dutch oven, but they don’t brown as easily

What Kind of Wine is Best for French Onion Soup?

I went back and forth between using red wine or white wine and both times I used white wine. I learned from Marcella Hazan that white wine is the premier choice for bolognese or tomato sauce against the heavier tomatoes, whereas red wine can sometimes be bitter. Thus, I chose Pinot Grigio. You could use a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. However, I’ve seen some like Tasting Table swear by red wine.

What Kind of Cheese is Best for French Onion Soup?

The first time I made the soup, I used a pre-sliced Boar’s Head Gruyere. The second time I used an imported Swiss Cheese from Boar’s head which is lactose free and my favorite choice.

What Best Accompanies French Onion Soup?

Simple Green Salad

French Onion Soup is rich and filling. Accompany this with a simple green salad with a champagne vinaigrette dressing. I like to buy fresh green leaf lettuce (not in bags). It saves money and the salad greens last longer. Dress lightly with vinaigrette, salt and pepper.

French Desserts

Tips for Making French Onion Soup

Make the broth and onions the day before. Heating it up the next day results in more flavor.
Use French Baguettes sliced evenly and toasted well so they hold up in the soup.
Slice the onions as easily as you can, so you won’t have any burnt pieces.
Use broil on low. It takes about 4 minutes to properly melt the cheese.

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