French Onion Soup (2024)

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

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6 Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 1 hour, 10 miunutes

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 1/2 lb. yellow onions (about 4 medium), very thinly sliced

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 Tbsp. dry sherry (optional)

2 cartons (32 oz. each) College Inn® Beef Broth

4 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (about 6 oz.)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

18 slices baguette, 1/2-inch thick each

Directions

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and baking soda; cook 15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes. Continue cooking about 10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan often and lowering the heat, as needed, until the onions are very soft and a deep golden brown.
Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add wine and sherry, if desired, and cook until evaporated. Stir in broth, thyme and bay leaves; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler with rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Place baguette slices on the baking sheet, arranging slices touching each other in groups of 2 or 3 to fit the bowls. Toss cheese with parsley; sprinkle evenly over bread slices.
When the soup is ready, remove thyme stems and bay leaves. Broil toasts 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted and browned in spots. Ladle soup into 6 bowls and transfer a grouping of cheese toast to top each bowl.