Back to French Onion Soup All Reviews for French Onion Soup - of Reviews Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Gallery Read the full recipe after the video. Recipe Summary Servings: 6 french onion soup served with cheesy bread

Ingredients Ingredient Checklist 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced (9 cups) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon) 3 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine 2 quarts beef stock, preferably homemade 1/3 cup sweet Marsala, Madeira, or port wine 6 slices French bread or other soft country loaf (each 1 inch thick), lightly toasted 8 ounces Gruyère, coarsely grated (2 cups)

Gallery Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary Servings: 6 french onion soup served with cheesy bread

Read the full recipe after the video.

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary Servings: 6

Recipe Summary

Servings: 6

Servings: 6

6

french onion soup served with cheesy bread

french onion soup served with cheesy bread

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced (9 cups) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon) 3 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine 2 quarts beef stock, preferably homemade 1/3 cup sweet Marsala, Madeira, or port wine 6 slices French bread or other soft country loaf (each 1 inch thick), lightly toasted 8 ounces Gruyère, coarsely grated (2 cups)

Directions

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to turn golden, 35 to 40 minutes (if onions develop color quickly, reduce heat).

Add butter, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring a few times, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add vermouth and boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in stock and Marsala. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer 45 minutes. Season to taste.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into broiler-safe crocks or bowls set on a rimmed baking sheet. Nestle a piece of toast into each, partially submerged, and top each with 1/3 cup Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown in places, 2 to 4 minutes. (Soup without toast and cheese can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days, or frozen up to 6 months.)

Reviews (28)

 Add Rating & Review     419 Ratings   5 star values:        90    4 star values:        116    3 star values:        121    2 star values:        70    1 star values:        22        

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Reviews (28)

Add Rating & Review     419 Ratings   5 star values:        90    4 star values:        116    3 star values:        121    2 star values:        70    1 star values:        22       

Add Rating & Review

419 Ratings 5 star values: 90 4 star values: 116 3 star values: 121 2 star values: 70 1 star values: 22

419 Ratings 5 star values: 90 4 star values: 116 3 star values: 121 2 star values: 70 1 star values: 22

419 Ratings 5 star values: 90 4 star values: 116 3 star values: 121 2 star values: 70 1 star values: 22

  • 5 star values: 90 4 star values: 116 3 star values: 121 2 star values: 70 1 star values: 22

    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 5 stars       10/13/2019   This was so easy and so very tasty...Will be my go to recipe for french onion soup.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 5 stars       04/09/2019   Love everything about this recipe! Excellent French Onion Soup!  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 5 stars       03/20/2015   Fabulous recipe. Tastes exactly like the French onion soup at Au Pied de Cochon in Paris.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/09/2015   Thank You Martha !! This is a great soup. I've made it a few times making small changes such as less sherry, adding Port instead of sherry but the original is great. Also, thanks for the tip on dutch ovens, it's my go to pan. Love the cast iron with the porcelain coating !!! You are a great cook !!!!!  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       01/14/2015   I made this for dinner, the only change I made was using Vermouth instead of the sherry. It came out wonderful! I didn't have to buy a baguette as I had some day old bread I had made that was perfect to use in this recipe.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       10/15/2014   Not good; sweet to the extreme. Throwing out the broth and onions; husband and I cannot eat this. Caramelized onions have their own natural sweetness - I should have listened to my first instincts when I read this recipe and left out the teaspoon of sugar and the sherry. Also, will double the cheese on top. I am using dedicated French Onion bowls which look quite a bit larger than the ones shown in the picture - maybe that is why there was only a thin spattering of cheese on top.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       08/31/2014   I make this with a few modifications: - more butter (about 1.5 sticks) -instead of sherry use a zin or cab - stock can be vegetable or turkey/ chicken - add reduced balsamic vinegar instead of sugar (about .25 cup) -1/2 tsp minced garlic Love. Definitely think gruyere cheese is the way to go. It's a distinct difference.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 4 stars       02/25/2014   I added extra tea.s sugar and that really ruined the taste. But after fixing it it tasted really really great. I added half a cup flour and that really helped with the color and flavor. didn't use dried cherries. I will absolutely make it again with more flour, less sugar and no cherries. I might try to make it more creamy to match my family taste maybe adding milk and cream will do it.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 5 stars       01/27/2014   I saw her make this on the show and thought I would make it, but as a severely altered version cause I didn't have most ingredients, I didnt use wine or cooking sherry, i made my own so called broth using the water, 4 restaurant packets of soy sauce, 1 pack of chicken bullion from oodles of noodles and a splash of vinegar, I only had bay leaves and dries basil.... and used mozerella cheese also. It tasted great & is a yummy comfort food! I may skip the sugar on the onions next time though.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       09/20/2013   This soup is near perfect. I cut down a little on the sherry (used xtra dry), and instead of thyme, added a cheesecloth satchel of herbs de provence for seasoning and a bay leaf (if I had fresh thyme I'd have used that). A nice rustic baguette with a firm crust works best. Gruyere melts great but if you're on a budget a good quality swiss will work almost as well. Delish!  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       01/16/2013   Made it. It was really good. I used a mixture of mozz, white cheddar and swiss as my family is not big on swiss. I used a bagguette for the bread. My onions were pretty sweet so I would have like it to be a little more savory.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       01/21/2012   This one tops all of the other French onion soups have made in the past.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       11/05/2010   Kmc2, you?Ǭ  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       03/07/2009   IS THERE ANY TYPE OF NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SHERRY - WE DO NOT CONSUME ANY ALCOHOL - BE IT FOR COOKING OR DRINKING???  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/28/2009   Why in the world would anyone add thyme to onion soup? It is not ment to be italian spagetti .......?  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/02/2009   I made this soup last night for myself and a friend and we were both blown away! It is fantastic! And so easy too. I did cook the onions for one hour and had great flavor. I will try the balsamic vinegar next time.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       04/09/2008   MMMmmm....this is a classic - so easy too. Even better homemade. I find that the onions are caramellized enough in about 30 minutes so don't let the hour for cooking the onions deter from making this. I'm sure its wonderful after an hour, but it's tough on a week night! Adedoyina - not sure if you're looking for non alcoholic sub, but you can use white wine (sauvignon blanc is good) or a dry red wine in place of the sherry. The sherry is delicious though.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       04/01/2008   is there anyway i can substitute the sherry with something else? if so, what?  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       04/01/2008   anitalasanowski, would like you to share info on how you canned this soup and if you have any othe soups you have canned please share this is what I would like to do  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       03/09/2008   Wow Anita. My birthday is in November and you're invited! That's a great gift for a foodie.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/22/2008   I canned this soup. I put it in a basket along with a baguette, gruyere,six bowls with handels,a laminated recipe card and monagramed napkins and gave it to my daughter as a birthday gift. She loved it !  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/22/2008   I canned this soup. I put it in a basket along with a baguette, gruyere , six broiling bowls with handels  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       01/22/2008   Jessiekaye - your idea for adding balsamic vinegar and maple syrup sounds wonderful, but exactly how much of each? I have never made this soup before, but it is my 8 year old daughter's favorite, so I would like to make it for her. Have you ever been to Paris? (your vacation preference...) I went to college there and lived there for a year. It really is as special as you expect. Thank you for your time and for sharing.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       01/04/2008   If you want them to taste like magic, yes, that is really how long it takes. It's true that a low heat and longer cooking time improves the taste of the onions. When making this soup, I also like to add a few cloves of garlic, and prefer to use a little balsamic vinegar and maple syrup instead of basic sugar. Happy souping!!  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       11/11/2007   One hour to carmelize onions seems a lot. Is that really how long this takes?  
    

    Martha Stewart Member

    Rating: 5 stars 10/13/2019

This was so easy and so very tasty…Will be my go to recipe for french onion soup.

Rating: 5 stars

Rating: 5 stars 04/09/2019

Love everything about this recipe! Excellent French Onion Soup!

Rating: 5 stars 03/20/2015

Fabulous recipe. Tastes exactly like the French onion soup at Au Pied de Cochon in Paris.

Rating: Unrated 02/09/2015

Thank You Martha !! This is a great soup. I’ve made it a few times making small changes such as less sherry, adding Port instead of sherry but the original is great. Also, thanks for the tip on dutch ovens, it’s my go to pan. Love the cast iron with the porcelain coating !!! You are a great cook !!!!!

Rating: Unrated

Rating: Unrated 01/14/2015

I made this for dinner, the only change I made was using Vermouth instead of the sherry. It came out wonderful! I didn’t have to buy a baguette as I had some day old bread I had made that was perfect to use in this recipe.

Rating: Unrated 10/15/2014

Not good; sweet to the extreme. Throwing out the broth and onions; husband and I cannot eat this. Caramelized onions have their own natural sweetness - I should have listened to my first instincts when I read this recipe and left out the teaspoon of sugar and the sherry. Also, will double the cheese on top. I am using dedicated French Onion bowls which look quite a bit larger than the ones shown in the picture - maybe that is why there was only a thin spattering of cheese on top.

Rating: Unrated 08/31/2014

I make this with a few modifications: - more butter (about 1.5 sticks) -instead of sherry use a zin or cab - stock can be vegetable or turkey/ chicken - add reduced balsamic vinegar instead of sugar (about .25 cup) -1/2 tsp minced garlic Love. Definitely think gruyere cheese is the way to go. It’s a distinct difference.

Rating: 4 stars 02/25/2014

I added extra tea.s sugar and that really ruined the taste. But after fixing it it tasted really really great. I added half a cup flour and that really helped with the color and flavor. didn’t use dried cherries. I will absolutely make it again with more flour, less sugar and no cherries. I might try to make it more creamy to match my family taste maybe adding milk and cream will do it.

Rating: 4 stars

Rating: 5 stars 01/27/2014

I saw her make this on the show and thought I would make it, but as a severely altered version cause I didn’t have most ingredients, I didnt use wine or cooking sherry, i made my own so called broth using the water, 4 restaurant packets of soy sauce, 1 pack of chicken bullion from oodles of noodles and a splash of vinegar, I only had bay leaves and dries basil…. and used mozerella cheese also. It tasted great & is a yummy comfort food! I may skip the sugar on the onions next time though.

Rating: Unrated 09/20/2013

This soup is near perfect. I cut down a little on the sherry (used xtra dry), and instead of thyme, added a cheesecloth satchel of herbs de provence for seasoning and a bay leaf (if I had fresh thyme I’d have used that). A nice rustic baguette with a firm crust works best. Gruyere melts great but if you’re on a budget a good quality swiss will work almost as well. Delish!

Rating: Unrated 01/16/2013

Made it. It was really good. I used a mixture of mozz, white cheddar and swiss as my family is not big on swiss. I used a bagguette for the bread. My onions were pretty sweet so I would have like it to be a little more savory.

Rating: Unrated 01/21/2012

This one tops all of the other French onion soups have made in the past.

Rating: Unrated 11/05/2010

Kmc2, you?Ǭ

Rating: Unrated 03/07/2009

IS THERE ANY TYPE OF NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SHERRY - WE DO NOT CONSUME ANY ALCOHOL - BE IT FOR COOKING OR DRINKING???

Rating: Unrated 02/28/2009

Why in the world would anyone add thyme to onion soup? It is not ment to be italian spagetti …….?

Rating: Unrated 02/02/2009

I made this soup last night for myself and a friend and we were both blown away! It is fantastic! And so easy too. I did cook the onions for one hour and had great flavor. I will try the balsamic vinegar next time.

Rating: Unrated 04/09/2008

MMMmmm….this is a classic - so easy too. Even better homemade. I find that the onions are caramellized enough in about 30 minutes so don’t let the hour for cooking the onions deter from making this. I’m sure its wonderful after an hour, but it’s tough on a week night! Adedoyina - not sure if you’re looking for non alcoholic sub, but you can use white wine (sauvignon blanc is good) or a dry red wine in place of the sherry. The sherry is delicious though.

Rating: Unrated 04/01/2008

is there anyway i can substitute the sherry with something else? if so, what?

anitalasanowski, would like you to share info on how you canned this soup and if you have any othe soups you have canned please share this is what I would like to do

Rating: Unrated 03/09/2008

Wow Anita. My birthday is in November and you’re invited! That’s a great gift for a foodie.

Rating: Unrated 02/22/2008

I canned this soup. I put it in a basket along with a baguette, gruyere,six bowls with handels,a laminated recipe card and monagramed napkins and gave it to my daughter as a birthday gift. She loved it !

I canned this soup. I put it in a basket along with a baguette, gruyere , six broiling bowls with handels

Rating: Unrated 01/22/2008

Jessiekaye - your idea for adding balsamic vinegar and maple syrup sounds wonderful, but exactly how much of each? I have never made this soup before, but it is my 8 year old daughter’s favorite, so I would like to make it for her. Have you ever been to Paris? (your vacation preference…) I went to college there and lived there for a year. It really is as special as you expect. Thank you for your time and for sharing.

Rating: Unrated 01/04/2008

If you want them to taste like magic, yes, that is really how long it takes. It’s true that a low heat and longer cooking time improves the taste of the onions. When making this soup, I also like to add a few cloves of garlic, and prefer to use a little balsamic vinegar and maple syrup instead of basic sugar. Happy souping!!

Rating: Unrated 11/11/2007

One hour to carmelize onions seems a lot. Is that really how long this takes?

All Reviews for French Onion Soup

  • of Reviews Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

All Reviews for French Onion Soup

  • of Reviews

    Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful     Most Positive     Least Positive     Newest