French Bouillon Soup Recipe
Recipe information
Make French Bouillon Soup in just 4h 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Get This Recipe In Your Inbox
Just share your email, and we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, enjoy weekly servings of cooking inspiration as a bonus!
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others!
Ingredients
Bouillon (Broth)
Soup Finish & Garnish
Bouillon (Broth)
1. Roast bones and vegetables
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread bones and halved onion on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast 25–35 minutes, turning once, until well browned. This deepens the flavor of the bouillon.
2. Transfer to stockpot
Place the roasted bones and onion in a large stockpot. Add chopped carrots, celery, leek, smashed garlic, and tomato paste.
3. Add water and aromatics
Pour 3 liters of cold water into the pot, enough to cover the bones by about 1–2 inches. Add bay leaves, thyme sprigs, parsley bundle, and peppercorns.
4. Simmer gently
Bring water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. As soon as it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low so the surface barely moves. Skim any foam or impurities from the top with a slotted spoon for the first 20–30 minutes. Maintain a gentle simmer (do not boil hard) for 3–4 hours to extract flavor and gelatin from the bones.
5. Strain and reduce
After simmering, remove bones and solids with tongs and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot or bowl. Press gently on solids to extract liquid, then discard solids. Taste the broth and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat if you want a more concentrated flavor; reduce 15–30 minutes as needed.
6. Season
Stir in 2 teaspoons salt (adjust later when making the soup). Remove thyme stems and bay leaves; keep warm for soup assembly.
Soup Finish & Garnish
7. Prepare vegetables
While the broth simmers or after it is strained, peel and cube potatoes and slice the carrot and celery thinly so they cook quickly and evenly.
8. Cook vegetables in bouillon
Bring the strained bouillon back to a gentle simmer. Add the cubed potatoes, sliced carrot, and sliced celery. Simmer 12–15 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
9. Optional: add pasta or rice
If using small pasta or rice, add it according to the package cooking time (usually 6–10 minutes for pastina/orzo). Add it to the simmering soup during the last 6–10 minutes so it cooks through but doesn't over-swell. If you prefer the pasta/rice separate, cook it in salted water and add to bowls when serving.
10. Adjust seasoning
Taste the soup and add salt and black pepper to taste. If the bouillon is too rich, add a little hot water to reach desired strength.
11. Finish and garnish
Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and a little lemon zest if using to brighten flavors. Serve hot.
Local Coupons
No local coupons found for this recipe's ingredients.