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Robby Lozano / Food Styling: Amanda Hostein / Prop Styling: Keoshia McGhee
French onion soup is a classic comfort food. Rich, savory, and sweetened with caramelized onions, this umami-filled soup is finished with slices of lightly toasted French baguette and melty cheese for a cozy, flavor-packed meal.
While many soups are easy to prepare, French onion soup recipes have several steps that require extra effort. Because of this, it may not our first choice when we have a busy night that distracts from cooking.
French onion soup requires caramelized onions, and if you’ve ever made onions this way, you’ve probably spent a lot of time standing over the stovetop waiting for them to turn that deep brown color. At a certain point, you might think, “Am I doing this wrong?” But you likely aren’t, onions just take a long time to caramelize—longer than you usually think!
But there is an easier way to make the dish that doesn’t require standing over a pan waiting for onions to caramelize, thanks to the Allrecipes Test Kitchen’s new Lazy French Onion Soup recipe.
How to Make Lazy French Onion Soup
Rather than caramelizing onions on the stovetop, use a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, to do it in the oven. While the process still takes as long as it does on the stovetop, you don’t have to stir the onions as often or constantly watch them. But there’s no getting around the slow cooking method, which caramelizes onions the right way; if you cook them too quickly, they burn.
Start by combining the onions, oil, and thyme sprigs in a pot, cover, and place them in a 425 degree F oven. Stir only once, about 40 minutes in. Uncover the pot and continue to cook the onions in the oven for about 30 more minutes, or until golden brown, syrupy, and caramelized.
Then, make French onion soup as you normally would, adding sherry then broth, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and bay leaf. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and combine.
Robby Lozano / Food Styling: Amanda Hostein / Prop Styling: Keoshia McGhee
Portion the soup into individual oven-safe bowls, topping with bread slices and Gruyère, and broil until bubbly. The result will be a classic French onion soup with savory, beefy flavors that doesn’t require the same effort as many other recipes. It’s a cozy and comforting soup you’ll want to make again and again.
Test Kitchen Tips for Making French Onion Soup
Recipe developer Amanda Holstein offers several tips, from preparation to storage, that will help you take your French onion soup to the next level.
- Cut against the grain of the onion makes for quicker caramelization. Slicing through more of the membrane releases more liquid, allowing the onions to soften quicker.
- If you don't own an oven-safe pot, you can caramelize your onions on a large rimmed baking sheet and stir every 10 to 15 minutes.
- There are several ways to add dimension and depth to the flavors of your soup. Using different wines or sherry can help complement the flavors of the cheese and of the caramelized onions. I use Worcestershire sauce in my recipe, but I’ve seen people add a splash of fish sauce or different types of vinegar.
- Store leftover soup in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days. Do not store leftover soup with broiled bread and cheese as the bread will get too soggy sitting overnight. If you want to keep your soup around for longer, freeze it in individual portions for up to 2 months.
Robby Lozano / Food Styling: Amanda Hostein / Prop Styling: Keoshia McGhee
Get the Recipe: Lazy French Onion Soup
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