French Onion Soup without Wine
French Onion Soup without Wine combines tender onions, a tasty broth, and a cheesy bread topping that is simply irresistible. This cozy soup recipe is a perfect special occasion dish that the whole family will love!
Classic French Onion Soup
We’ve enjoyed the tastiest French Onion Soup while dining out on several occasions. I’ve tried to replicate this flavorful soup more than once and it’s been difficult to get the right balance of onions to broth. But I think I’ve got it this time!
If you enjoy baking your own bread, try our Chewy French Bread and freeze some slices for this soup. Other bread recipes you could use include Italian Herb Bread or Garlic Sourdough Bread.
Why This Recipe Works:
- EASY TO FIND INGREDIENTS – This recipe requires 10 ingredients that are easy to find in most grocery stores. If you have a thyme plant, use fresh instead of dried. You’ll want to use extra if using fresh!
- FULL OF FLAVOR – The flavor in this soup is out-of-this-world delicious. Perfectly caramelized onions, a flavorful broth, and the best cheesy topping that should never be skipped! Trust me.
- RESTAURANT QUALITY – After giving this recipe a few revisions, I believe this one is restaurant quality. If you prefer using wine in your soup, add it and use a little less broth.
- ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD – This homemade French Onion Soup spells comfort!
Ingredients Used for this French Onion Soup Recipe:
These simple ingredients are combined to make the best French Onion Soup.
- Unsalted Butter
- Yellow Onions
- Garlic Cloves
- All-Purpose Flour
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Broth – A combo of chicken broth and beef broth. Alternatively, you could use beef stock and chicken stock.
- Bay Leaves – A bay leaf or two will add to the depth of flavor.
- French Bread
- Gruyere Cheese
- Kosher Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, and Thyme (use either dried thyme or fresh thyme leaves).
If you prefer to use wine in your soup, you can use either red wine or white wine. I recommend using 1/2 – 1 cup of wine in place of some of the broth.
How to make French Onion Soup without Wine:
Step 1
Prep onions. Peel and thinly slice the onions. You’ll be surprised at how much onion this is but it will cook down significantly.
Step 2
Cook. Use a large stockpot or a large Dutch Oven. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme.
Step 3
Caramelize onions. Cook the onions until they get very soft and caramelized. You’ll see them get golden brown as they caramelize. This will take between 25-30 minutes or so. Add the garlic and stir for another minute.
Step 4
Add flour. Then add the flour to the onions and stir frequently over low heat for about five minutes. You’ll want to cook the flour taste out of the onions.
Step 5
Add broth. Add chicken and beef broth to the pot and adjust the heat back to medium heat. Add bay leaves and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Step 6
Toast bread. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add the pieces of bread to a sheet pan and add a drizzle of olive oil to the top. Bake in the oven until golden brown – about 10 minutes.
Step 7
Add to serving bowls. Place oven-safe serving bowls on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into bowls and add the toasted bread to the top. (Depending on the size of the slices, you may want to add an extra half slice to each bowl.)
Step 8
Add cheese. Add slices of gruyere cheese to the tops of the toasted bread.
Step 9
Bake. Add the pan of soup to the oven. You can bake it at a high temperature (like 450-500 degrees) or broil until the tops are golden brown. Watch closely to avoid burning!
Step 10
Serve. Serve hot soup immediately.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
What to serve with French Onion Soup:
Soup and Salad are a match made in heaven!
Recipe FAQs:
The most commonly used onions for French Onion Soup are yellow onions. They have a nice balance of sweetness and savory flavors when caramelized. However, you can also use a combination of various onions for a more complex flavor.
A baguette or French bread is recommended for the cheesy topping in French Onion Soup. The bread slices are usually sliced and toasted in the oven before being placed on top of the soup. Gruyère cheese is the preferred choice for melting over the crusty bread, but you can also use Swiss Cheese, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or another melting cheese. A little bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese on top is always a nice addition.
Caramelizing onions takes both time and patience. Cook them over medium heat and stir frequently during the process. If the onions start sticking to the bottom of the pan, you can add a splash of broth to deglaze and prevent burning.
Yes, French Onion Soup can be prepared ahead of time. You can cook the caramelized onions and broth in advance and assemble the soup just before serving. Reheat the soup and then add the bread and melty cheese topping just before mealtime.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
French Onion Soup without Wine Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 pounds yellow onions – peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme – or use fresh thyme leaves
- 2-3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth – or more
- 4 cups beef broth – or more
- 1-2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2-3 whole bay leaves
- 6-8 slices French Bread or Baguette – sliced and toasted
- 8 oz. gruyere cheese – sliced or freshly grated
- shredded parmesan – optional
Instructions
- Prep onions. Peel and thinly slice the onions. You'll be surprised at how much onion this is but it will cook down significantly.
- Cook. Use a large stockpot or a large Dutch Oven. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme.
- Caramelize onions. Cook the onions until they get very soft and caramelized. You'll see them get golden brown as they caramelize. This will take between 25-30 minutes or so. Add the garlic and stir for another minute.
- Add flour. Then add the flour to the onions and stir frequently over low heat for about five minutes. You'll want to cook the flour taste out of the onions.
- Add broth. Add chicken and beef broth to the pot and adjust the heat back to medium heat. Add bay leaves and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Toast bread. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add the pieces of bread to a sheet pan and add a drizzle of olive oil to the top. Bake in the oven until golden brown – about 10 minutes.
- Add to serving bowls. Place oven-safe serving bowls on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into bowls and add the toasted bread to the top. (Depending on the size of the slices, you may want to add an extra half slice to each bowl.)
- Add cheese. Add slices of gruyere cheese to the tops of the toasted bread.
- Bake. Add the pan of soup to the oven. You can bake it at a high temperature (like 450-500 degrees) or broil until the tops are golden brown. Watch closely to avoid burning!
- Serve. Serve hot soup immediately.
Notes
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- If you prefer to use wine in your soup, you can use either red wine or white wine. I recommend using 1/2 – 1 cup of wine in place of some of the broth.
- If using dried thyme, use about 1 teaspoon. If using fresh thyme, use 2-3 teaspoons.
- French Onion Soup can be prepared ahead of time. You can cook the caramelized onions and broth in advance and assemble the soup just before serving. Reheat the soup and then add the bread and melty cheese topping just before mealtime.
Another amazing soup recipe! My favorite part is the bread topping!
Thank you!