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Nov 23, 2014

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories

French onion soup is my all time favorite. I love the caramelized onion flavor, the toasted baguette croutons, and the gooey gruyere cheese on top. The beef broth is sweetly flavored with fresh thyme.

French Onion Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories

This soup is really tasty, looks elegant, and the base can can be made in advance, making it really easy to prepare for company. Why haven't I made this before (she says, smacking herself in the forehead)?

French Onion Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Thank goodness for Secret Recipe Club led by Sarah of Fantastical Sharing of Recipes, who works really hard to keep things going. It's a group of bloggers who are assigned another member's blog from which to choose a recipe to make once a month. We all reveal whom we had on the same day and at the same time. This was the impetus I needed to make my all time favorite soup.

My assigned blogger is Susan of Food, Baby, Life. She is raising three boys, all under 5 years old, and lives in Australia. She's actually been blogging for almost six years! Now that she is a mom, she likes to cook healthy, but I'll forgive her for that (just kidding Susan!). She also has been an avid Tuesdays with Dorie baker. Just check out her Recipe Index.

I immediately chose Susan's French Onion Soup, and I'm so glad I did. Delicious!

French Onion Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories


French Onion Soup Recipe

Adapted from Food, Baby, Life, who adapted it from Taste.com 
Serves 6 to 8 as a starter, and 4 to 6 as a main course. 

Ingredients

6 T unsalted butter
4 very large brown onions, peeled and sliced crossways into rings
3 garlic cloves, sliced and crushed
1 tsp sugar
3 T all purpose flour
1/2 C dry red wine
6 C beef stock
1 bouquet garni (a few sprigs of thyme, parsley, and bay leaves tied together or wrapped in cheesecloth)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 good baguette, sliced on the diagonal in 1/2 inch slices
1 to 2 cups of freshly grated gruyere cheese (depending on how gooey you want your cheese to be. Next time, I'm adding more =)

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large (6 to 8 quart) saucepan or saute pan over medium heat. 
  2. Add the onions and garlic and sprinkle with the sugar. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are soft and a medium golden color, about 30 minutes (I veered a bit from the original recipe here, and cooked the onions quite a bit longer)
  3. Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is cooked through, about a minute or two. 
  4. Add the wine, and cook for another minute or two. 
  5. Add the broth and bouquet garni and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  6. Remove the bouquet garni and season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
  7. Toast the baguette slices in a toaster, toaster oven, or under the broiler. If using the broiler, toast both sides. 
  8. Place an oven rack about 6 to 8 inches below the broiler and turn it on. 
  9. Fill broiler safe soup bowls or ramekins with the soup and top with two slices of the toasted baguette. Place a good handful of cheese in each bowl over the toast and soup. Place the bowls on a baking sheet, and broil for about a minute or two, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If you don't have broiler safe bowls, you can sprinkle the toasts with the cheese, broil it, and place it on top of the soup. 


Would you like to comment?

  1. What a gorgeous photo, Karen. I love a good French Onion Soup too, and want to try this one. AND your beautiful baguette. Great pick this month!

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  2. French Onion Soup is one of those things I've always wanted to make and never have - great pick! Love those little ramekins too ;D

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  3. Thanks Karen, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's not exactly soup weather here at the moment but this has reminded me just how much I loved this soup. Beautiful photos too :)

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  4. Absolutely stunning! :D Just beautiful! Wonderful choice for the SRC! :)

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  5. This is one of my favorite soups in the winter. So warming and comforting! And your bread looks to die for on top. Happy Reveal Day!!

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    1. Thanks Emily! I'm so glad I finally tried making it!

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  6. Oh my goodness - you made that look GORGEOUS!! I love French onion soup and have not eaten it in WAY too long - definitely on my "cold weather" list... mmm...

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    1. I am so glad I tried making it Rebekah! It had been way too long too!

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  7. I just saw gruyere and melted (pun intended :P). It's one of my favorite cheeses. The soup looks fantastic. Happy reveal day :)

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  8. I love French Onion Soup! Great pick this month.

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  9. I absolutely love and adore French onion soup with all my heart. I would have chosen this one, too!

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  10. Such beautiful photos! Love french onion soup. Great pick this month.

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  11. French onion soup is my FAVORITE!! Yours is gorgeous and those big croutons on top look to die for!! Yum!!

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  12. You did an all around beautiful, beautiful job on this soup! I too just love French Onion soup and I look forward to making this recipe as my mouth is watering right now! :-)

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  13. This is one of my all time favorites. Your pictures are absolutely beautiful! Great pick this month :)

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  14. French onions soup is so great with wine, isn't it? Love your photos. Excellent SRC selection.

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  15. wow those are some delicious looking photos....my mouth is watering!!

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  16. Oh, I had Susan's blog a couple of months ago. She has some great recipes, and this was an excellent choice. Funnily enough, even though I'm not a huge onion fan, I love French onion soup - partner not so fussed though, so it's a treat I enjoy when I'm on my own.

    I was so thrilled to be assigned to your blog this month - your blog is truly inspirational and I loved sifting through and bookmarking so many of your recipes. I've definitely made a promise to myself to give some of those amazing breads a try :-)

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  17. OH yes! I DO love a French Onion soup and yours looks simply amazing! Karen

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  18. Looks so good! I just shared a similar recipe @http://www.gratefulprayerthankfulheart.com/2014/11/french-onion-soup.html#more

    So perfect for brisk days. Sending very Happy Thanksgiving wishes!
    Kindly, Lorraine

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  19. That looks delicious, Karen. I'm also a big fan of french onion soup.

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  20. Hi Karen, thanks so much for stopping by my humble little space earlier. You love your blog especially all those bread making. Its my favourite thing to do. And you Gruyere pain de campagne bread looks amazing ! love it so much.
    Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family.Enjoy & have a blessed day.
    Best wishes,
    Kristy

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  21. We love French onion soup and this one looks lovely! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!

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  22. Gorgeous photos! Onion soup is a favorite of mine, but unfortunately due to my beloved husband's problems with onions, I must just stare at your post and dream... ;-)

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  23. This soup looks ridiculously good! Even right now in the middle of summer!

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