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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⭐ Mom’s Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling (Traditional Recipe)
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This classic holiday potato casserole is delicious served with your favorite gravy and makes a beautiful Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish.
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes (5 cups):
- 5–6 medium potatoes (russet or Yukon gold), peeled and quartered
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅓ cup milk (+ extra as needed)
- Pepper to taste
Filling:
- 5 cups dried bread cubes
- ⅓ cup (5 tablespoons) butter + extra to dot the top
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 eggs, beaten
Instructions
Mashed Potatoes:
- Place potatoes in a large saucepan with the sea salt and enough cold water to cover them.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to medium, and simmer 15–20 minutes, lightly covered, until fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes, add butter, and mash.
- Add milk and mash again until creamy. Season with pepper.
- Add extra milk if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
Filling:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Soak dried bread cubes in water for 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Heat ⅓ cup butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and celery and cook 5–10 minutes, until tender.
- Stir in parsley and softened bread cubes. Cook a few more minutes.
- Combine the bread mixture with the mashed potatoes. Add the beaten eggs and stir to mix.
- Transfer to a lightly oiled 2.5-quart casserole dish.
- Dot with butter. Cover and bake 50–60 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned.
- Uncover the last 10–15 minutes to brown the top.
- Serve hot with gravy and fresh parsley.
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