Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›The Harvey House›French Bouillon Soup Recipe

French Bouillon Soup Recipe

Inspired by The Harvey House
Time4h 20m
Serves6

Make French Bouillon Soup Recipe in just 4h 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Bouillon (Broth)

Soup Finish & Garnish

Method

Bouillon (Broth)

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

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