Classic Bistro French Onion Soup

I was one of those nerds that fell into cooking very rapidly and started buying cookbooks to try to absorb everything I could about cooking. I quickly found that I gravitated towards american cuisine and classic french. I don’t have the background or patience to cook fine french cuisine (though I did spend hours learning to tourné vegetables, which is of no use to me now) but I quickly gravitated towards Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles cookbook because it was accessible classic french food. One of my favorites was a French Onion Soup recipe and I’m happy to have done my own rendition here.

Anthony Bourdain’s death shook me, which was shocking to me because I’ve never felt this before with a celebrity death. But i was a Bourdain fan, he is one of my heroes in the culinary world. I ate at Les halles in New York where I tried escargot and pidgeon for the first time, I saw him give a talk with Jaques Pépin, I’ve read all of his books and watched his shows and I received a signed copy of his most recent cookbook Appetites for my birthday last year. I was really happy to reminisce about my Bourdain experiences while making this recipe because this is the type of food that reminds me of him.

Is French Onion Soup easy to make?

The answer to this is definitely yes. This is a fancier soup that is deceptively easy to make. Someone at a beginner level in cooking could make this with no hacks and end up with a delicious meal to impress their friends. The part that takes the longest is carmelizing the onions, which isn’t hard it just takes a while. And if you don’t want to use wine, you can omit it from the recipe and add more broth to get the soup to the correct consistency.

I’m excited to share this recipe because it comes from a place close to my heart. I was wondering if you had any recipes that resonate with you or remind you of someone you miss. Please share in the comments section below 🙂

5 from 5 votes

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Classic Bistro French Onion Soup

The easy French Onion Soup is and updated version of a classic bistro French Onion Soup. Experience classi France from your own kitchen.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword french onion soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Calories 493 kcal

Ingredients

• 4 Onions Sliced
• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 Garlic Cloves Chopped
• 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 1 Cup Dry Wed Wine
• 3 Tbsp Flour
• 2 Qt Beef Stock
• 1 Baguette Sliced
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 Pd Gruyere Grated

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Slice onions thinly. Put onions into a large dutch oven or pot, add butter and bring to a medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 25 minutes or until onions have caramelized and turned brown. Stir frequently.

2. Add red wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half. 

3. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes so that flour is not raw.

4. Add beef stock and stir until broth is thickened. Cover and let soup simmer until baguette is ready.

5. Heat oven to 400 (200 degrees Celsius). Slice bread and brush with olive oil. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.

6. Remove baguette and cover each slice with gruyere. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted.

7. Spoon soup into a bowl and add in baguette slices. Then enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Classic Bistro French Onion Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 493 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 35g 54%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Cholesterol 40mg 13%

Sodium 885mg 37%

Potassium 736mg 21%

Total Carbohydrates 34g 11%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 5g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 9.5%

Vitamin C 7%

Calcium 8.1%

Iron 13.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Arya’s Corner

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