Search
by Ingredient

Bruce's Favorite French Onion Soup

Empty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty star

Submitted by robkim6

Bruce’s favorite French onion soup simmers Spanish onions in a beef and chicken bouillon broth with garlic, brandy, and Worcestershire, then bakes under a blanket of croutons and melted cheese. A bistro classic.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

1 hrs

READY

2 hrs

Bruce’s favorite French onion soup is the home-cook’s take on the bistro standard, with two smart twists: a generous pour of brandy for a warmer backbone, and a mix of beef and chicken bouillon for a more rounded broth than beef stock alone. Spanish onions cook gently in butter until silky soft, then simmer for 90 minutes in the spiked broth so all the flavors weld together.

The key to the toppings is generosity. A thin scatter of croutons and cheese gives you a flat, sad disc on top. A heaped pile creates that bubbly, blistered, mahogany crust that makes French onion soup worth ordering. Mixing mozzarella with Swiss is the move. The mozzarella melts into long, gooey strings while the Swiss adds the proper nutty, savory flavor.

Pro Tips

  • Slice the onions thin and even for uniform cooking. Thick chunks won’t soften through and you’ll end up with crunchy bites.
  • Dissolve bouillon cubes in a measuring cup of boiling water before adding to the pot. Whole cubes settle to the bottom and never fully dissolve.
  • Use oven-safe French onion soup crocks or thick-walled ramekins. Thin bowls can crack from the temperature swing.
  • Place crocks on a sheet pan when broiling. Cheese drips will scorch on the bottom of the oven and smoke up the kitchen.

Variations

  • Swap brandy for cognac, sherry, or port for slightly different finishing flavors.
  • Add a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves with the bouillon for a more traditional French herb profile.
  • Use traditional Gruyère instead of mozzarella for a sharper, more authentically French cheese cap.

Ingredients

8 1.9
CUPS L SPANISH ONIONS
sliced *
7 7
EACH EACH BEEF BOUILLON CUBE
low sodium *
3 3
EACH EACH CHICKEN BOUILLON CUBE *
2 473
CUPS ML GARLIC
chopped
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
158
CUP ML BRANDY *
½ 118
CUP ML BUTTER
10 2.4
CUPS L WATER
boiling
1
X OREGANO
thyme, parsley, cayenne pepper, to taste *
1
X MOZZARELLA CHEESE
grated, to taste *
1
X SWISS CHEESE
grated, to taste *
1
X CROUTON
to taste *

Directions

1) Melt butter and onions in a large pot. Stir until soft (but not brown).

2) Dissolve cubes in 1 cup boiling water. Add this to pot along with remaining boiling water. Do not add cubes directly to pot until they are dissolved.

3) Add garlic cloves, worcestershire sauce, brandy.

4) Add spices to taste. Quite a few dashes of each. Stir until mixed in.

5) Simmer on low (2-3) heat on stove for 1½ hours.

6) Fill french onion soup bowl ⅔ full of soup.

7) Add covering of croutons. Add covering of grated cheeses. Be generous with the cheese!

8) Bake at 350℉ (180℃) until the cheese is bubbling and slightly brown.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 697g (24.6 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 327 67% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g 38%
Saturated Fat 15g 77%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 325mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 6%
Sugars g
Protein 13g
Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 37%
Calcium 21% Iron 9%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free
 

Email this recipe