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French Onion Soup as served, showing the finished dish

Soup recipe

French Onion Soup Recipe

A practical, source-aware recipe for french onion soup, with the history kept close to the method.

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French Onion Soup. Photo: Miansari66 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Developed by the Recipe Desk. This original editorial recipe uses measured ingredients, explicit timing and yield, allergen notes, storage guidance, and step-by-step visual cues. Use the stated doneness and texture cues because ingredients, ovens, and kitchen equipment vary.

Recipe card

French Onion Soup

A practical, source-aware recipe for french onion soup, with the history kept close to the method.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Yield
4 Servings
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon Calvados, Applejack, or other brandy
  • 4 cups low-salt beef stock
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 -8 1/2'-thick slices baguette, cut to fit ramekins
  • 1 cup grated Gruyère or raclette cheese

Method

  1. Step 1 for French Onion Soup, showing the ingredients and preparation at this stage
    Step 1: Step 1 for French Onion Soup.
    1

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 450°. Cook onions in a 12" nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring constantly, until soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add butter and toss onions to coat. Remove pan from heat and stir in Calvados. Return pan to heat and continue cooking until Calvados is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until soup is reduced to 4 cups, about 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2 for French Onion Soup, showing the ingredients and preparation at this stage
    Step 2: Step 2 for French Onion Soup.
    2

    Step 2

    Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide soup among ramekins. Top each ramekin with 1–2 slices of bread. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each. Transfer baking sheet with ramekins to oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, about 4 minutes.

Storage

Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat only when the texture benefits from it.

Allergens

No major allergens identified from the listed ingredients. Always check product labels for cross-contact.

Why this dish belongs here

The history behind the method

This soup builds on the history of the layered bulb found in every cuisine on earth, linking the dish to onion’s longer story in food culture.

Explore the ingredients

Onion history

Trend and context sources

  1. [1]Original French Onion Soup recipe — Bon Appétit
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Written by The Foods That Shaped Us Research Desk

The Foods That Shaped Us Research Desk is the publication byline for collaboratively maintained food-history articles, Case Files, Trend Desk analysis, and original Recipe Desk development. Historical work is grounded in cited sources. Recipes use measured formulations and receive an editorial consistency, safety-note, and image-provenance review before release.

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