Simply Wanderfull
There is no better comfort food than a bowl of rich homemade French Onion Soup. I just love this recipe and make it quite often. It comes from the mother of the culinary world, Julia Child! I have simplified it a bit by using a quick-to-make beef stock.
The deep rich flavours of Onion soup, caramelized onions cooked slowly in butter and oil and then simmered in a rich, flavourful beef broth, topped with toasted bread melted Swiss cheese and sprinkle parmesan.
Oh boy, need I say more? This classic dish is the epitome of comfort food, warming both the body and soul with every spoonful.
The key to making a good french onion soup is that you need to use a lot of onions! The more onions the better. You will need at least 5 large onions to really bring out the flavour of the soup. I also like to use Vidalia Onions for the soup because it offers more sweetness to the caramelized onions.
Health benefits of French Onion Soup
French onion soup offers several benefits beyond its delicious taste:
- Rich in antioxidants
- Promotes heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol
- Boosts immunity with vitamin C
- Supports digestive health due to its fiber content
- May aid weight loss by being low in calories and filling
- Provides hydration through its broth base
- Offers comfort and stress relief
- Nutrient-rich with ingredients like onions, broth, herbs, and spices
Tips & Tricks
Making French Onion Soup really only requires a few ingredients. There are however some tips and tricks that you can use to make your french onion soup rich & delicious and extra special.
- Use a Mandoline Slicer: Make your life easy by purchasing a mandoline to shred your onions in to uniform thin slices.
- Use a good Beef Stock: It is so important to have good tasting beef stock so it gives a good depth of flavour. I like to use Better Than Bouillon Beef Flavour Stock Base.
- Use a Gravy Powder: Another little secret ingredient that I like to add to my soup is called Trio Brown Gravy Mix
- When you first add the onions to the butter/oil blend over lower heat, cover the onions for the first 15 minutes of cooking.
- Before adding the wine and 1/2 the beef stock to your onion roux, remove the pot from the heat and whisk very good. Bring the pot back to the stove and then add the the remainder of the beef stock. You will notice the soup is silky smooth and thickened.
- Simmer the sauce for at least 30-40 minutes at the end. Remember the soup gets better the longer that you simmer. Skim off any foam or fats from the top as needed.
Julia Child Makes it best!
I love Julia Child! I look up to her and she is my role model along my cooking journey. She has taught me so many cooking techniques and some wonderful recipes. She is the mother of the kitchen for so many!
Her recipe for French Onion Soup has to be perfect in my eyes! So for the purposes of this blog article I am going to use Julia Child’s recipe for French Onion Soup and place a few added notes that I found to work well for me! I love to use Trio Brown Gravy Mix and Better Than Bouillon Beef Flavour for the beef stock. I feel that by using both of these ingredients you will achieve a rich beefy flavoured stock that is so tasty.
If you want to delve more into the world of Julia Child, I can recommend reading about her autobiography in this book called: Dearie Me: The Remarkable Life Of Julia Child
I also LOVE to watch her PBS videos of the French Chef | Julia. Child.
Ingredients:
- 5-6 large vidalia onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups beef broth (Using 1-2 tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Beef Stock)
- 1 tbsp. Trio Beef Gravy Mix
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Baguette slices, or rye bread toasted
- Gruyère cheese, or Swiss grated
- Parmesan Cheese
Instructions:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and olive oil over lower heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cover the saucepan for 15 minutes.
- Uncover, raise the heat to medium and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30-40 minutes stirring frequently and the onions will turn a deep shade of golden brown.
- While the onions are browning, make your beef stock by adding the Better than Bouillon Beef Flavour and Gravy Mix Powder to 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer until you are ready to add it to the onion roux.
- Once the onions are golden sprinkle 3 tbsp. flour and stir for exactly 3 minutes.
- *Very Important* Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the wine, and half of the beef stock. Whisk very good! You will see it thickens nicely.
- Now place the pot back on the stove at low-med heat and add in the rest of the beef stock. Stir.
- Simmer for at least 30-40 minutes. The flavour becomes rich and delicious.
To Assemble the French Onion Soup:
- Place your oven on broil.
- Ladle the onion soup to 3/4 of the way up into an oven safe bowl.
- Toast some rye bread or a baguette sliced and place on top of the soup.
- Add shredded swiss cheese or Gruyère cheese and sprinkle parmesean over top
- Broil for 3-5 minutes watching closely to make sure the cheese doesn’t burn.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Let's Make It Together!
Julia Child's French Onion Soup With A Twist
Ingredients
- 5-6 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups beef broth Using 1- 2 tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Beef Stock
- 1 tbsp. Trio Beef Gravy Mix
- 2 bay leaves optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Baguette slices or rye bread toasted
- Gruyère cheese or Swiss grated
- Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and olive oil over lower heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cover the saucepan for 15 minutes.
- Uncover, raise the heat to medium and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30-40 minutes stirring frequently and the onions will turn a deep shade of golden brown.
- While the onions are browning, make your beef stock by adding the Better than Bouillon Beef Flavour and Gravy Mix Powder to 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer until you are ready to add it to the onion roux.
- Once the onions are golden sprinkle 3 tbsp. flour and stir for exactly 3 minutes.
- *Very Important* Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the wine, and half of the beef stock. Whisk very good! You will see it thickens nicely.
- Now place the pot back on the stove at low-med heat and add in the rest of the beef stock. Stir.
- Simmer for at least 30-40 minutes. The flavour becomes rich and delicious.
- To Assemble the French Onion Soup:
- Place your oven on broil.
- Ladle the onion soup to 3/4 of the way up into an oven safe bowl.
- Toast some rye bread or a baguette sliced and place on top of the soup.
- Add shredded swiss cheese or Gruyère cheese and sprinkle parmesean over top
- Broil for 3-5 minutes watching closely to make sure the cheese doesn't burn.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Let's Eat!
As you ladle this warm, soul-satisfying French onion soup into bowls and savour its rich flavours and comforting aromas, may you find joy in every spoonful. Whether it’s a cozy night in with loved ones or a special gathering with friends, this classic dish is sure to create unforgettable memories around the table. So, gather your ingredients, channel your inner Julia Child, and let the magic of homemade French onion soup bring warmth and happiness to your kitchen. Bon appétit, and may your culinary adventures continue to inspire and delight!
