Description
This Creamy French Onion Soup baked in bread bowls combines deeply caramelized onions simmered in a rich beef broth with creamy heavy cream, all served in a crunchy hollowed-out bread boule topped with melted Gruyère cheese. It’s a comforting and elegant twist on a classic French soup, perfect as a hearty appetizer or main course.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
- 1 bay leaf
For the Bread Bowls:
- 4 small round bread boules, hollowed out
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (or Swiss or mozzarella)
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: In a large pot, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes until they become deeply golden and caramelized.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Then sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously for 2 minutes to slightly thicken the mixture.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the beef broth, add the thyme and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a simmer and let it cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes to develop flavor.
- Add Cream and Season: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream and taste the soup, adjusting the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Prepare the Bread Bowls: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Hollow out the bread boules carefully, leaving enough bread thickness to hold the soup. Arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Assemble and Bake: Ladle the hot soup into the hollowed bread bowls. Generously top each with shredded Gruyère cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a golden crust, broil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve: Remove the bread bowls from the oven. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and a crack of black pepper before serving warm.
Notes
- Caramelizing onions slowly is key to developing the rich, sweet depth of flavor in the soup.
- Using Gruyère cheese provides the traditional nutty flavor, but Swiss or mozzarella work well as alternatives.
- Be careful not to burn the cheese under the broiler—watch closely during the last few minutes.
- For a vegetarian variation, substitute vegetable broth for beef broth and omit the heavy cream or use a plant-based cream.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast between the crispy bread bowls and creamy soup.
