Home > Recipes > Soup recipes > Oven-baked French onion soup with Gruyère toasts

Oven-baked French onion soup with Gruyère toasts

Name: Oven-baked French onion soup with Gruyère toasts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 60 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 6 medium onions, thickly sliced; 6 garlic cloves, halved; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp caster sugar; Small bunch fresh thyme; 100g unsalted butter; 1 litre fresh beef stock; 300ml fino sherry, such as Tio Pepe; 1 baguette or sourdough loaf, sliced; 200g gruyère, grated

Published: 7 Jun 16
Updated: 18 Mar 24

A traditional French favourite – eat through the cheesy toast to reach the rich, buttery soup.

Easy
May 2016

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 2 1/2 hours

A traditional French favourite – eat through the cheesy toast to reach the rich, buttery soup.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 883kcals
Fat: 39.6g (24g saturated)
Protein: 29.2g
Carbohydrates: 77.6g (28.5g sugars)
Fibre: 8.5g
Salt: 3.3g

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Ingredients

6 medium onions, thickly sliced
6 garlic cloves, halved
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
Small bunch fresh thyme
100g unsalted butter
1 litre fresh beef stock
300ml fino sherry, such as Tio Pepe
1 baguette or sourdough loaf, sliced
200g gruyère, grated

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. Divide the onions and garlic equally between 2 medium roasting tins (about 2.5 litres capacity each). Add 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, half the thyme and 50g butter to each tin, then divide the stock and sherry equally between the tins, too. Cover both tins with a layer of baking paper, then a layer of foil, transfer to the oven and cook for 2½ hours. At the end of the cooking time, transfer the contents of both tins to a heatproof ceramic 2 litre dish (see Make Ahead).
Set the grill to high. Place the bread slices on top of the onion soup, then top with the cheese. Put under the hot grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden. Serve straightaway.

Recipe from May 2016 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 883kcals
Fat: 39.6g (24g saturated)
Protein: 29.2g
Carbohydrates: 77.6g (28.5g sugars)
Fibre: 8.5g
Salt: 3.3g

delicious. tips

Make the soup up to the end of step 1. Cool, then keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat until piping hot and continue with step 2.
A softly scented gewürztraminer.