Our French onion soup recipe only take 20 minutes prep time - although the soup will need to cook for just over an hour so the onions are well caramelised and completely soft but you will be rewarded with a deliciously flavoursome soup and that irresistible cheesy toast topping!
If you want to cook and freeze the soup ahead of time, prepare to end of step 3. Cool completely, then pour into a freezer proof bag or container. It will keep for up to two months.
Gently heat oil in a large pan and add onions, thyme and a large pinch of salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 30min, stirring occasionally, until onions are completely soft.
Step 2
Pour over the wine and add the sugar. Turn up heat and bubble, stirring frequently, until the wine has evaporated and the onions are well caramelised and completely soft, about 30-35min.
Step 3
Add stock; heat through. Check the seasoning.
Step 4
Preheat grill to medium. Put the baguette slices on a baking tray and lightly toast on both sides under the grill. Divide the soup among six bowls, top with two baguette slices and sprinkle each with grated cheese. Grill until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2min, and serve immediately.
Freeze ahead
Prepare to end of step 3. Cool completely, then pour into a freezer proof bag or container and freeze for up to two months. To serve, defrost completely, then complete recipe to serve.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
