French Onion Soup: History, Recipe, and Where to Buy

French onion soup is a heartwarming classic. There is just something so comforting about the savory flavor paired with the salty cheese and spongy bread. But despite its reputation now, it is believed that French onion soup had humble beginnings, rising in popularity due to necessity.

No matter how you feel about French Onion Soup, it is a must-serve at your next event. Keep reading to learn more about this delicacy. 

The History of French Onion Soup

There are many “stories” of how this soup came to be, which include famous people like King Louis XV and Stanislas Leszczynski (Duke of Lorraine) creating the soup. We think the reality of this soup is far more humble, however, and these individuals simply tried to create notoriety for themselves after the fact.

The reality is that onion soup has been consumed in Europe since the time of the ancient Romans. Onions are cheap, easy to grow, and add a lot of flavor to whatever they are added to. Pair this with some beef broth, and you have the makings of a simple yet filling French onion soup. 

Of course, when the peasants of old consumed the soup, they likely didn’t have the fancy cheese we associate with it now. But they did likely dunk stale bread into it, which is likely why a bread crouton is floated in the soup now. 

What we do know is that the restaurants around the Les Halles are responsible for adding the cheese crust to the soup, which is what began its massive popularity spike. 

Beyond its reputation as a cheap and easy crowd-pleaser, French Onion Soup has also been long recognized as a hangover cure and for its ability to hide the scent of alcohol on someone’s breath. 

Why is it Called French Onion Soup?

As we made clear above, the French did not create onion soup. This was something several hundred European peasants likely invented on their own over several years. However, it was the French district of Les Halles that originally added the floating crouton and cheese to the onion soup, leading to the term ‘French’ being added to the name of the soup.

Honestly, we aren’t sure if there are any other types of onion soup in the modern day, but at one point, the term “French Onion Soup” ensured you got the version with the bread and cheese on top.

Why Serve French Onion Soup?

French Onion Soup is one of the most famous types of soup ever, and we believe it has earned its recognition. This soup is delicious, filling, and an absolute crowd-pleaser. 

Additionally, it can help take your event to the next level—as French Onion Soup is often seen as a refined and upscale dish! 

How to Make French Onion Soup

French onion soup isn’t the easiest to make, but if you have the time and money to purchase quality ingredients, here is our French Onion Soup recipe! 

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of yellow onions(be prepared to cut them all into slices!)

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ stick butter

• Salt (to taste)

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 8 cups beef stock

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 2 bay leaves

• ½ teaspoon dry thyme

• Pepper (to taste)

• 1 French baguette, sliced thickly

• 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Peel and slice all the onions. By the time you are done, you should have about 10 cups of sliced onions. If this recipe already sounds like too much work (we don’t blame you!) Jump to the section below. 

2. Heat the olive oil on medium heat, then add the onions, tossing to coat. 

3. Cook the onions, adding the butter, and stirring often until the onions start to caramelize. This will take about 20 to 40 minutes. 

4. Add the sugar and a few pinches of salt, then cook for 10-15 minutes or until the onions are fully caramelized.

5. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  

6. Add the white wine to the pot, and then begin scraping the sides—removing anything that was left from the caramelizing process. 

7. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme, allowing them to simmer before covering the pot. Cook for 30 minutes, covered. 

8. Toward the end of the 30 minutes, taste the soup and add salt and pepper and needed. Fish out the bay leaves and throw away.

9. When the soup is almost done, lay the baguette slices on a sheet pan(you can brush with herbed butter or olive oil, your choice!), put them in the oven, and place them near the top. Set your oven to “broil” and keep a close eye on the breads. They shouldn’t need more than 7 minutes to lightly brown. 

10. Remove the breads from the oven and set aside. Ladle the soup into individual casserole dishes or oven-safe bowls, then float a bread “crouton” in each one. Top liberally with both cheeses before placing the bowls in the oven. Watch the bowls, removing the soups with potholders when the cheese begins to brown and bubble.

11. Serve immediately, warning guests that the bowls are piping hot! 

As you can see, it is quite the process to make French Onion soup and a several hours long endeavor. For those who don’t want the hassle, it is possible to order frozen French Onion soup that you simply heat and serve from Kolikof Caviar and Gourmet. 

Where to Buy French Onion Soup

Of course, you may not have time to make your own French Onion Soup, and that is understandable! Kolikof Caviar and Gourmet can save you the hassle as they have pre-made frozen French Onion Soups for sale! All you have to do is wait for your order to arrive, pop them in the oven, and enjoy! 

The Kolikof French Onion Soups are made with fresh onion, premium aged Gruyere cheese and will have you feeling like you are on the streets of France! They come in sets of four and can be delivered to your door in just 72 hours.