Julia Child's French Onion Soup

I'm making Julia Child's French onion soup featured in her cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." I've made a few minor changes to this classic soup recipe.

History of French Onion Soup

French onion soup is a classic. It’s a combination of beef stock and caramelized onions topped off with slices of crispy baguette and melted cheese. What could be better?

The first French onion soup was first served in 18th century Paris, France. The types of cheese typically used are Gruyere and Parmesan. However, you can use Swiss cheese, Gouda, fontina, or mozzarella cheese instead.

Julia Child helped to popularize this delicious soup. In her honor, I’m making a variation of her recipe.

FRENCH ONION SOUP INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you need for this French Onion Soup recipe:

• Onions
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Sugar
• Flour
• Beef stock or bone broth
• White wine
• Ground sage
• Bay leaf
• French baguette
• White pepper
• Optional Cognac
• Small onion
• Swiss cheese
• Parmesan cheese

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH ONION SOUP: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Caramelize the Onions

Heat a dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot over medium-low heat. Once the dutch oven is hot, add the butter and olive oil. Add the onions. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will become very soft.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sea salt and sugar. Cook and stir until the onions have softened. They should turn brown and be very soft. The volume will also reduce.

2. Make a Roux

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the flour and stir. Cook for a few minutes, or until the soup thickens. If it gets too thick you can add a little butter.

3. Cook the Soup on the Stovetop

Stir in 1 cup of the beef stock. Cook and stir for a few seconds. Add the remaining beef stock, white wine, and optional sage and bay leaf, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer on low for 30 minutes.

4. Prep the Bread

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle or brush each side of the bread with some olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the bread. Bake for 15 minutes.

5. Bake the French Onion Soup

Season the soup with sea salt and pepper. Remove the optional bay leaf if you used one. Add optional cognac, grated raw onion, and a small amount of Swiss cheese.

Place the toasted bread on top of the soup. Sprinkle with the remaining Swiss cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the cheese with a little olive oil, or you can use some melted butter. Place the Dutch oven in the preheated oven, uncovered. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese melts. You can turn on the broiler if you wish to brown the cheese.

Remove the soup from the oven and let it cool a bit.

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