Cup Of French Onion Soup Recipe

Prepare onions

Peel and thinly slice enough yellow onions to yield about 4 cups. Set aside.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and let the butter melt and foam.

Add the sliced onions to the pot, stirring to coat them in the fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions begin to soften, about 8–10 minutes.

Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the onions to encourage caramelization. Continue to cook, stirring every few minutes and scraping the browned bits from the bottom, until the onions are deep golden brown and richly caramelized, 25–35 more minutes. Adjust heat as necessary so they brown slowly rather than burn.

Season the caramelized onions with the black pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and to help thicken the broth.

Deglaze the pot with the dry white wine: pour it in and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by about half, 2–4 minutes.

Stir in the beef stock, add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and let the flavors meld for 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Stir in the brandy and let the soup sit off the heat for a minute to integrate the flavor.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Preheat the broiler (or oven set to high broil) and position a rack about 6 inches from the heat source. If you have oven-safe soup crocks or single-serving oven-safe cups, have them ready; otherwise, use a small ovenproof ramekin or shallow ovenproof cup for each serving.

Ladle about 10–12 ounces (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups) of hot soup into each oven-safe cup, leaving a little space at the top so the cheese can bubble without overflowing. For a single cup serving, use approximately 1 cup of soup.

Place 2–3 toasted bread rounds on top of each cup of soup (they should float slightly). Sprinkle a generous layer of the grated aged Swiss cheese over the bread, pressing lightly so cheese contacts the soup and bread.

Place the filled cups on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and begins to take on golden brown spots, 2–5 minutes depending on broiler strength. Watch closely to prevent burning.

Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the extra grated cheese and fresh thyme leaves over the top for garnish. Let cool for 2 minutes (cheese will be hot), then serve immediately with a small spoon.