Easy French onion soup

Rich, moreish, and soul-warming

You can’t beat this easy French onion soup for a winter warmer or a great dinner party starter.

• SERVES: 4
• PREP TIME: 10 mins
• COOK TIME: 45 – 55 mins
• DIFFICULTY: easy
• IDEAL FOR: weekend, dinner party, winter warmer

Easy French onion soup

This is easy.

I promise.

The hardest part of French onion soup is patience.

And this is the key to a really good French onion soup.

You can’t rush the caramelisation of the onions.

This helps give a rich flavour and sweetness when onions are caramelised.

The other top tip is using good quality beef stock.

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml dry white wine
• 1.3l hot strongly-flavoured beef stock
• 4-8 slices baguette (depending on size)
• 140g gruyère, finely grated

Method

1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft.
2. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, and soft. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don’t burn.
3. Add the garlic cloves for the final few minutes of the onions’ cooking time, then sprinkle in the plain flour and stir well.
4. Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the beef stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins.
5. To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls.
6. Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the gruyère. Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can cook the toast under the grill, then add them to the soup to serve.

Recipe: BBC Good Food