French Onion Soup (Gruyere Croutes)
French Onion Soup (Gruyere Croutes)
Ingredients
- 8 Italian white onions, peeled and sliced
- 125 g butter, diced, for cooking onions
- 1 Maldon sea salt, to taste
- 1 black pepper, to taste
- 1 small bag fresh thyme, (sachet)
- 1 single bay leaf
- 25 ml sherry vinegar
- 200 g madeira
- 3 L beef stock
- 1 bread, sliced and cut with a cutter, for croutons
- 1 melted butter, as needed, for frying croutons
- 1 grated Gruyère cheese, as needed
- 1 fresh thyme, for finishing
Instructions
- 1
Peel and slice the 8 Italian white onions. Slice them with the grain; they do not need to be extremely fine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat a wide-based pan over medium heat. Melt the 125g of diced butter in the pan. Add the sliced onions, season with Maldon sea salt and black pepper. Cook slowly for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden and sweet.
⏱️ 30 min
- 3
Once the onions are caramelized, add the small sachet of fresh thyme and the single bay leaf to the pan.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Deglaze the pan by adding 25ml of sherry vinegar. Allow it to reduce completely, which helps to cut through the richness of the onions and fat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add 200g of madeira to the pan and reduce again. This step layers sweetness and depth into the soup.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Pour in the 3 liters of beef stock. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sachet from the soup. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 20 min
- 7
While the soup simmers, prepare the croutons. Slice bread and cut it into desired shapes using a cutter. Fry the cut bread in melted butter until crisp. Let the croutons cool.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Preheat your oven to 200 °C (390 °F). Ladle the hot soup into ovenproof bowls, filling them halfway.
⏱️ 2 min•🌡️ 200
- 9
Place a fried crouton on top of the soup in each bowl. Top with a generous amount of grated Gruyère cheese.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Place the bowls in the preheated oven. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and beautifully gratinated.
⏱️ 6 min•🌡️ 200
- 11
Carefully remove the bowls from the oven. Finish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
French Onion Soup (Gruyere Croutes)
- 8 Italian white onions, peeled and sliced
- 125 g butter, diced, for cooking onions
- 1 Maldon sea salt, to taste
- 1 black pepper, to taste
- 1 small bag fresh thyme, (sachet)
- 1 single bay leaf
- 25 ml sherry vinegar
- 200 g madeira
- 3 L beef stock
- 1 bread, sliced and cut with a cutter, for croutons
- 1 melted butter, as needed, for frying croutons
- 1 grated Gruyère cheese, as needed
- 1 fresh thyme, for finishing
Instructions
- 1
Peel and slice the 8 Italian white onions. Slice them with the grain; they do not need to be extremely fine.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat a wide-based pan over medium heat. Melt the 125g of diced butter in the pan. Add the sliced onions, season with Maldon sea salt and black pepper. Cook slowly for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden and sweet.
⏱️ 30 min - 3
Once the onions are caramelized, add the small sachet of fresh thyme and the single bay leaf to the pan.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Deglaze the pan by adding 25ml of sherry vinegar. Allow it to reduce completely, which helps to cut through the richness of the onions and fat.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add 200g of madeira to the pan and reduce again. This step layers sweetness and depth into the soup.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Pour in the 3 liters of beef stock. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sachet from the soup. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 20 min - 7
While the soup simmers, prepare the croutons. Slice bread and cut it into desired shapes using a cutter. Fry the cut bread in melted butter until crisp. Let the croutons cool.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Preheat your oven to 200 °C (390 °F). Ladle the hot soup into ovenproof bowls, filling them halfway.
⏱️ 2 min•🌡️ 200 - 9
Place a fried crouton on top of the soup in each bowl. Top with a generous amount of grated Gruyère cheese.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Place the bowls in the preheated oven. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and beautifully gratinated.
⏱️ 6 min•🌡️ 200 - 11
Carefully remove the bowls from the oven. Finish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min