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side view of a bowl of french onion soup topped with fresh chopped parsley and melted cheese, more herbs, another bowl of soup, sliced bread and spoons in the background

SIMPLE FRENCH ONION SOUP

My mama's famous recipe. So good, even those who don't like onions will love this simple French Onion Soup recipe!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 10 (medium-large) Yellow Onions
  • 4 cups Beef Broth
  • 4 cups Water*
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese freshly grated
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 Half a Loaf French Baguette cut into 1-inch thick slices
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Fresh Chopped Parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the onions.
    sliced white onions in a bowl
  • Add the butter to a large pot over medium low heat.
    butter melting in a pot
  • Once almost melted, add the onions. Add a splash of water to ensure that the onions don't burn while cooking.
    sliced white onions in a pot
  • Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft, caramelized and tender, about 20-25 minutes.
    sautéed/caramelized onions in a pot
  • Add the beef broth, water and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
    beef broth, spices and sliced onions in a pot
  • Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about an hour to allow the onions to release their maximum flavour.
    beef broth and sliced onions in a pot
  • Toast the baguette slices. I just pop them under the broiler for a minute or two, keeping a close eye to ensure they don't burn.
    6 toasted baguette rounds on a sheet pan
  • Place the toasted baguettes into individual oven safe bowls.
    two bowls on a sheet pan with a toasted baguette round in each
  • Ladle the onion soup on top.
    two bowls of onion soup on a sheet pan
  • Top with some freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
    two bowls of french onion soup with unmelted cheese on a sheet pan
  • Bake in a 350°F for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly (I like to place the individual bowls on a baking sheet to catch any liquid that might boil or spill over the tops while baking). Additionally, broil for a few minutes to brown the tops and crisp up the cheese. Top with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
    two bowls of french onion soup with melted cheese on a sheet pan

Notes

For a more flavourful soup, use all beef broth for the soup base instead of half beef broth and half water. However, rest assured, it truly comes out simply delicious just as the recipe is written.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1436mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 0.05g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 619IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 405mg | Iron: 1mg
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