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applebees french onion soup

French Onion Soup Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs (900g) yellow onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (120ml) dry sherry
  • 4 cups (950ml) beef broth
  • 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 slices French baguette, about ¾ inch thick
  • 1½ cups (150g) Gruyère cheese, shredded

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sugar, and cook, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes, for 40 to 45 minutes until deep amber and caramelized.
  2. Add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Pour in the sherry and scrape up any browned bits from the pot bottom.
  3. Add the beef broth, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Broil the baguette slices on high for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp.
  5. Ladle the soup into 4 oven-safe bowls, top each with a baguette slice and an even portion of the shredded Gruyère, and broil on high for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden-brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

This soup tastes noticeably better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle, so it's a good candidate for making the broth the night before and broiling fresh to order. If your onions start to stick before they've browned, add a small splash of water and scrape the pan rather than turning up the heat. Don't try to rush the caramelization stage — it really is the thing the whole recipe depends on.