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    Home » Recipes » Sunday Dinner

    Dutch Oven French Onion Soup

    Published: Dec 19, 2022 by Amanda · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    Jump to Recipe
    bowl and dutch oven pot of french onion soup with toasted bread slices around.
    dutch oven of french onion soup topped with cheesy croutons.

    Dutch oven french onion soup is warm, comforting and perfect for cold weather. This hearty soup is all made in a dutch oven on the stove top and finished off with cheesy baguette slices in the oven.

    french onion soup in dutch oven with bowls, spoons and toasted croutons lying around.

    This easy one pot french onion soup makes a delicious Sunday dinner for a big family. It's all made in a dutch oven pot and then finished off in the oven with the best toasted cheesy garlic croutons.

    This dutch oven french onion soup is total comfort food and would be excellent served with lemon asparagus, brussels sprouts or roasted artichokes.

    Make sure to check out what to serve with french onion soup for all of the best side dishes, main dishes and more!

    Jump to:
    • 🧅 Ingredient notes
    • 📋 Substitutions and variations
    • 🔪 Step by step instructions
    • ⭐ Expert tips
    • ⏲️ Make ahead instructions
    • 🥡 Storage suggestions
    • 🍜 More soup recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    🧅 Ingredient notes

    beef broth, butter, seasonings, gruyere, baguettes, vinegar, fresh thyme, white wine and onions.
    • Onions - Yellow onions are the best onions for french onion soup. They have just a slight bite to them, but sweeten when they are cooked down, making the perfect balance of flavors for this soup. Sweet onions could also be used, but will make a sweeter soup.
    • Cheese - Gruyere is the traditional cheese used in this classic soup. It's a smooth melting swiss cheese that pairs perfectly with the caramelized onions. Regular swiss cheese could also be used or provolone for a more mild flavor.

    📋 Substitutions and variations

    • Individual Servings - After simmering the onions with the broth, the soup can then be ladled into individual oven safe bowls. Top each bowl with a toasted bread crouton and sprinkle on the cheese. Place the individual bowls on a sheet pan under the broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
    • Vegetarian - Switch the beef stock for vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian french onion soup.
    • Wine - Any dry white wine, such as chardonnay, pinot grigio or cooking sherry will do. If you prefer to not cook with wine or don't have any, extra broth can be used to deglaze the pan.

    🔪 Step by step instructions

    First, slice the onions thinly using a sharp knife or mandolin slicer. Then, melt one stick of the butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat on the stove top. Add the onions to the melted butter along with the kosher salt, black pepper and red wine vinegar.

    sliced and whole onions on a cutting board and sliced onions cooking in a dutch oven.

    Cook the onions down, stirring frequently, until they are softened and a deep brown color. While the onions are cooking, prepare the garlic toasts.

    Slice the baguette and place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the remaining butter over the bread and sprinkle them with the garlic salt. Place the baguette slices under the broiler for a few minutes until golden brown.

    sliced baguette with butter and garlic salt before and after toasting them in the oven.

    When the onions are done cooking, deglaze the pot with white wine. Make sure to scrape all of the stuck on browned bits off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon.

    Add in the beef broth and fresh thyme and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low heat and allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes.

    dark brown caramelized onions in a dutch oven and onions mixed with broth with fresh thyme.

    Discard the bundle of fresh thyme and place half of the crispy croutons on top of the soup. Sprinkle the tops of the croutons with the gruyere cheese so that they are mostly covered by the cheese.

    toasted bread on french onion soup in a dutch oven and bread topped with cheese.

    Place the dutch oven under the broiler until the cheese melts and is lightly browned. Serve the soup hot with the extra garlic croutons for dipping.

    dutch oven filled with soup with cheese melted on toasted bread on top.

    If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.


    ⭐ Expert tips

    • Stir the onions frequently to prevent burning or sticking. The more the onions caramelize, the more prone they are to sticking to the bottom and burning.
    • The onions should be a deep brown color and have a sweet flavor to them when they are fully caramelized. The deeper the brown color, the deeper flavor the soup will have. If they cook too long and turn black, they will make the soup bitter.
    • Keep a close eye on the garlic toast pieces under the broiler. You want them to crisp up and brown, but not burn.
    • Make sure to let the melted cheese on the croutons lightly brown. Just be careful that it doesn't burn.

    ⏲️ Make ahead instructions

    FRIDGE - Make the soup, but don't make the croutons. After the soup has simmered with the broth and thyme, cool it completely and then store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve, heat it up over medium low heat on the stovetop. Make the croutons and finish up the soup with the croutons and cheese under the broiler.

    FREEZER - Make the soup, but don't make the croutons. After the soup has simmered with the broth and thyme, cool it completely and store in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup completely in the refrigerator first. Then, when you are ready to serve, heat it up over medium low heat on the stovetop. Make the croutons and finish up the soup with the croutons and cheese under the broiler.

    🥡 Storage suggestions

    Leftover dutch oven french onion soup will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The croutons on top will be more soggy than when the soup was made fresh.

    🍜 More soup recipes

    If you loved this recipe for dutch oven french onion soup, check out these other soup recipes that I know you will love too!

    • Italian Wedding Soup
    • Simple Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
    • Easy Loaded Potato Soup

    Don't Forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.


    📖 Recipe

    dutch oven pot with french onion soup topped with cheesy bread slices with bowls and spoons.

    Dutch Oven French Onion Soup

    Amanda
    Dutch oven french onion soup is warm, comforting and perfect for cold weather. This hearty soup is all made in a dutch oven on the stove top and finished off with cheesy baguette slices in the oven.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine French
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 415 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 pounds yellow onions
    • 1 ½ sticks salted butter room temperature and divided
    • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • french baguette one large or two small
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
    • ½ cup white wine
    • 6 cups beef broth or stock
    • 1 bunch fresh thyme tied in a bundle with cooking twine
    • 6 ounces gruyere cheese shredded

    Instructions
     

    • First, peel and slice all of the onions thinly.
    • Melt one stick of the butter in a dutch oven pot over medium heat on the stovetop.
    • Toss the onions to coat them in the butter and then add the salt, pepper and red wine vinegar.
    • Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 40-50 minutes until they are completely softened and a deep brown color.
    • While the onions are cooking, slice the baguette into one inch slices and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
    • Spread the baguette slices with the softened butter and sprinkle with the garlic salt.
    • Place the baguette slices under the broiler in the oven for 2-3 minutes until they are lightly browned and toasted.
    • When the onions are done cooking, add the white wine to deglaze the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck on browned bits.
    • Stir in the beef broth and add the fresh thyme bundle. Bring the soup to a boil over medium high heat and then lower the heat to medium low and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Top the finished soup with half of the toasted garlic croutons and sprinkle the gruyere cheese on top.
    • Place the dutch oven under the broiler in the oven for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts and is slightly browned.
    • Serve the soup hot with the remaining garlic croutons for dipping.

    Notes

    • Stir the onions frequently to prevent burning or sticking. The more the onions caramelize, the more prone they are to sticking to the bottom and burning.
    • The onions should be a deep brown color and have a sweet flavor to them when they are fully caramelized. The deeper the brown color, the deeper flavor the soup will have. If they cook too long and turn black, they will make the soup bitter.
     

    Substitutions and Variations

    • Onions - Sweet onions can also be used, but will make a sweeter soup.
    • Cheese - Use swiss cheese or provolone for a more mild flavor.
    • Wine - Extra broth can be used to deglaze the pan as a substitute.
    • Vegetarian - Switch the beef stock for vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian french onion soup.
    • Individual Servings - After simmering the onions with the broth, the soup can then be ladled into individual oven safe bowls. Top each bowl with a toasted bread crouton and sprinkle on the cheese. Place the individual bowls on a sheet pan under the broiler until the cheese melted and slightly browned.
     

    Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

    FRIDGE - Make the soup, but don't make the croutons. After the soup has simmered with the broth and thyme, cool it completely and then store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days. At serving time, heat up the soup over medium low heat on the stovetop. Make the croutons and finish up the soup with the croutons and cheese under the broiler.
    FREEZER - Make the soup, but don't make the croutons. After the soup has simmered with the broth and thyme, cool it completely and store in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup completely in the refrigerator first. Then, at serving time, heat up the soup over medium low heat on the stovetop. Make the croutons and finish up the soup with the croutons and cheese under the broiler.
    LEFTOVERS - Cooled soup will last 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The croutons on top will be more soggy then when the soup was made fresh.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowlCalories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 13gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 1449mgPotassium: 423mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 759IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 307mgIron: 2mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @SaporitoKitchen or tag #SaporitoKitchen!

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