For as long as I can recall, French onion soup has been one of my favorite things to eat. There is this delicious buffet-style restaurant in my area that always serves french onion soup and I look forward to eating it every time we go.

The steamy broth, the sweet onions, the melty cheese, and croutons…oh boy! I think I could live on French onion soup. How about you? is French onion soup one of your favorites, too?

Oh, and get this, as this soup cooks it smells absolutely amazing!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Kerrygold unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
3 heaping tablespoons Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 quarts College Inn beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 pound grated Kraft Gruyere

Instructions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

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Quick Tip: French onion soup is best made with Vidalia sweet onions.