Description
Pioneer woman’s hearty French onion soup simmers with rich, caramelized onions in a deep beef broth. Melted gruyère cheese crowns this comforting classic, inviting you to savor each spoonful of rustic, soul-warming goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 yellow onions (large or 6 small/medium)
- 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 stick (½ cup / 113 g) butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine (optional)
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- French bread or baguette slices
- Gruyere cheese (grated, can substitute with Swiss, Asiago, Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, or combination)
Instructions
- Caramelization: Gently melt butter in the crockpot, layer thinly sliced onions, and slow-cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until achieving a deep golden-brown color and rich, sweet complexity.
- Flavor Intensification: Pour dry white wine over caramelized onions, simmering on high heat for 30 minutes to concentrate and enhance the underlying taste dimensions.
- Broth Development: Blend chicken and beef broths into the onion mixture, incorporating minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper to create a robust, multilayered flavor profile.
- Bread Preparation: Butter bread slices and toast under the broiler until achieving a crisp, golden exterior that will complement the soup’s intense characteristics.
- Cheese Finishing: Generously sprinkle Gruyere cheese over toasted bread, carefully positioning the slices atop the aromatic onion broth, then broil until the cheese melts into a bubbling, golden-brown crust.
- Serving: Present the French onion soup immediately, ensuring the cheese remains luxuriously melted and the bread retains its delightful crunch, delivering a perfect balance of textures and temperatures.
Notes
- Slow Caramelize with Patience: Low and slow cooking is crucial for developing rich, deep onion flavor; rushing this step will compromise the soup’s fundamental taste profile.
- Wine Reduction Matters: Adding dry white wine and reducing it concentrates flavors, transforming the liquid from simple to sophisticated with minimal extra effort.
- Cheese Selection Impacts Taste: Choose high-quality Gruyere or aged Swiss cheese for authentic flavor; cheaper alternatives might compromise the soup’s traditional character.
- Broiler Timing is Critical: Watch cheese topping closely during final broiling to achieve perfect golden-brown melting without burning; 2-3 minutes maximum under direct heat ensures ideal texture and color.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg