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A spoonful of cheesy, broiled bread is lifted from a bowl of Classic French Onion Soup Easy Method, showing long cheese pulls.

Classic French Onion Soup Easy Method

This recipe provides a straightforward method for making classic French onion soup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups sliced onions
  • 5 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Bread and Cheese Topping
  • 4 slices French bread
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese diced
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Oven-safe bowls

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply browned and caramelized. This may take 30 to 40 minutes.
  3. Stir in the dry sherry and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  4. Add the beef broth and dried thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
  5. Preheat your oven broiler.
  6. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each bowl with a slice of French bread.
  7. Layer the provolone slices, diced Swiss cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese over the bread in each bowl.
  8. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Notes

For best results, use onions that are sliced thinly and cook them slowly to achieve deep caramelization. This step develops the soup's flavor base.