Dutch Oven French Onion Soup (Printable)

Deeply savory slow-cooked onions in beef broth with toasted bread and melted Gruyère cheese topping.

# Components:

→ Onions

01 - 5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

→ Aromatics

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Broth & Flavorings

06 - 8 cups beef broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian option
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Topping

12 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
13 - 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
14 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Add the sliced onions and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deeply caramelized, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and fully incorporated.
03 - Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Add the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves before proceeding.
05 - While soup simmers, preheat oven broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden brown, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side.
06 - Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each with a toasted baguette slice and a generous handful of Gruyère cheese, and Parmesan if desired.
07 - Place bowls on a baking sheet and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 2 to 4 minutes.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh thyme if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The onions transform into something almost unrecognizable, sweet and deeply savory in a way that feels like a secret ingredient but it's just patience.
  • That moment when melted cheese bubbles under the broiler and you pull out golden, crispy-edged bowls is pure theater at the dinner table.
  • One pot means one cleanup, and the whole house smells like a Parisian bistro for hours afterward.
02 -
  • The caramelization step cannot be hurried or done on high heat without ruining everything—medium heat and patience are non-negotiable, and honestly, this is where most home cooks fail because they expect it to happen in 15 minutes instead of 45.
  • Don't remove the bay leaves before serving because people sometimes put them in their mouths and then you spend the rest of dinner feeling terrible about it, so fish them out while you're seasoning the broth.
  • The soup can be made completely ahead of time and reheated gently, then you just toast bread and broil the cheese when guests arrive, which makes this elegantly doable even on busy evenings.
03 -
  • Sherry instead of white wine will give you a rounder, slightly darker, more mysterious flavor that honestly rivals the traditional version and makes people ask what you did differently.
  • If Gruyère is unavailable or budget-prohibitive, Swiss or Emmental both melt beautifully and have similar nuttiness, though the soup will taste slightly different so just own whatever cheese you choose.
  • Make this soup a day ahead and reheat it gently on the stovetop, then do all the toasting and broiling when you're ready to serve—it's a secret weapon for stress-free entertaining.
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