Easy French Onion Soup

This Easy French Onion Soup recipe is the perfect saltiness and spice. Gooey cheese and a fantastic taste. This is the best ever classic french onion soup, homemade and delicious.

I’ve been super busy trying to make restaurant favourites at home, just like this Easy Wonton Soup and Slow Cooker Three Cheese Broccoli Soup.

A perfect example of make at home perfection is my Olive Garden Copycat, Chicken Gnocchi Soup. Mmmm.

In the Winter months, I crave {and I mean crave} Classic French Onion Soup.

Yet, I’m picky with this type of soup, and will only order it at certain restaurants, because it’s amazing how some can be so bland or just off in taste!

I find that some are too salty, others broths too weak, and so on. Let’s just say I appreciate {and devour} a great tasting baked onion soup.

This my friends is the best ever french onion soup, and you will not believe how easy it is to make.

One of my goals for this year to ‘eat out’ less though, so I actually haven’t had my favourite soup all Winter. I know, the horror!

In an effort to stick to my goals and also have the food I love too, I’ve been like a mad scientist in the kitchen.

I just love making homemade soups and stews. Speaking of, you also NEED to try this Creamy Chicken Stew. YUM!

So, one day when I was mad-craving a great French Onion Soup. It was hold and I simply needed a hot soup.

So, I scoured cookbooks and websites trying to find an easy recipe. I found that most were just too detailed.

If you have made this soup before, you might be thinking “well, not really, Tammi”. Truth is, it’s not a complicated recipe and even the lengthy ones were simple.

Yet I wanted so insanely simple, so that I could fill my craving, and now.

Thing is, when this craving for soup strikes, I want something that doesn’t make me want to resort to opening a can.

So simple in direction that I would make it at home on a whim and not feel that I’m making a dinner. Because, it’s soup – it should take as much time as it is to make a whole dinner.

So it’s no surprise that this fan-girl made the best homemade french onion soup recipe ever. And I’m so excited to share it with you.

What I did was take crucial aspects of a french onion soup, and took out the extras. In fact, this is the best french onion soup recipe without wine.

Bare-boned, classic soup that is effortless without sacrificing on flavour. And, voila. Here it is!

Ingredients Required

How do you make french onion soup from scratch?

Saute onions over medium heat until transparent in colour.

I like to use olive oil, but if you can also use white wine or red wine if you’d like.

I am not one to ususlaly have a bottle opened, so olive oil it is.

Once done, transfer the onions to the beef broth base and add the spices.

Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Then you ladle soup into oven safe soup bowls.

Following the broth, add in the crisp bread pieces and the blend of Gruyere and Swiss cheese.

Sometimes I also add a tad bot of Parmesan cheese as well, because, it’s cheese of course.

I bake my soup dishes on a baking sheet in case some bubbles over.

This way it spills to the bottom of the pan and not the bottom of the oven.

It’ll be done when the cheese melts, and the edges sticking to the bowls are a golden brown.

FYI, those browned bits and the melty cheese are my favourite.

What is the Best Cheese for French Onion Soup?

Now, these cheese you choose does matter when making this simple soup.

Yet what kind of cheese?

Well, Gruyere cheese is best!

Yet, sometimes I get super lazy and just use mozzarella cheese, which you can do and the result is a nice soup.

Yet, choosing that sharper cheese does result in a different and fantastic flavour, so keep that in mind and try to stick with Gruyere.

What kind of Bread to use for French Onion Soup?

I try and get a french loaf for the bread in my french onion soup.

Day old is best, as you want a crusty bread.

Yet in a pinch, you can toast any bread and it’ll work, especially those heel pieces.

I do think french is best, yet I’d use any just to have some at all.

What to Serve with French Onion Soup

While many think of this soup as an appetizer recipe, I love to have it for the main course.

After all, you have veggies, cheese, and carbs – and that wonderful rich flavor.

I sometimes like a crusty baguette slice to sponge up the extra broth.

Cheesy toast works great too, and you can make this in the oven at the same time, using the same french bread.

Can you Freeze French Onion Soup?

Yes you can freeze French Onion Soup, yet without the cheese and croutons in it.

Simply add the soup to freezer safe containers or freezer size bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Allow to thaw fully and then reheat in the oven with cheese and croutons.

To Store: Store your leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Enjoy the next day!

In short, this real simple onion soup recipe is the perfect saltiness and spice.

Gooey cheese and a fantastic taste. Every spoonful leaves you wanting more!

My kids, who wouldn’t go near an onion if you paid them {isn’t that the case with most kids?}, ate about half a bowl each.

Colour me impressed!

Plus, it’s a really easy recipe since there’s limited ingredients to chop etc.

The first time I made this, was certainly not my last.

This is my go-to soup when I need a bowl, no matter the time of year.

The only problem was waiting for the onion mixture to simmer, the house smelled incredible and I almost didn’t wait the full 30 minutes!

Yet, for a good tasting soup, you must – it’s a simple french onion soup, but as with any cooking, the wait is small but intense.

Totally worth it though, it’s my favourite soup and I’m sure it’ll be yours as well.

Try this quick recipe for french onion soup and enjoy!