Dutch Oven French Onion Soup
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.
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
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