Rich and Simple French Onion Soup

This is very close to a recipe I have been using for the past 30 years or so. The only changes/suggestions that I would make are to add a tablespoon of Worchester Sauce and use all butter instead of the olive oil. Make sure that you saute the onions well. (Also, make sure that you slice the onions into fairly wide slices, about 1/2-3/4" wide.) You don't want them burnt, but you do want them browned. I use Campbell's Double-Rich Beef Consumme and 1/4 cup of Sherry. For the cheese, I put a tablespoon of FRESH shredded Parmesan cheese on the bottom of the bowl, then ladle on the soup, then top with a large homemade crouton, then the swiss cheese, and another tablespoon of the fresh Parmesan. For the croutons, take a large wine-glass and press into a slice of thick bread to get the perfect circle for your soup bowl. Spread with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Put in the oven at 250 for about 1/2 hour or until they are dried and crisp.

After ordering this soup many times at restaurants, this recipe reproduces precisely what French Onion Soup is supposed to taste like. Look, French Onion Soup a challenging soup to eat: chunks of chewy cheese and soggy bread floating on top...but it's supposed to be that way. I often suggest additions or subtractions to a recipe, but here I suggest you stick with the recipe as is. I've made this recipe many times exactly as indicated and everyone loves it. Nice job. Easy to make. Tasty.

The basic recipe is very good with easy to find ingredients. I didn't like fighting with all the bland provalone cheese. So now I use Gruyere and Romano cheeses for more flavor. The sherry is not optional - buy a good one and add it near the end of cooking. Use a spanish white onions for more intense flavor (Vidalia if you want it subtler)

I have tried many french onion soups and this is one of the best. It was not salty, nor was it overly sweet, it was perfectly seasoned. The only thing I had trouble with was judging how much onion to use. I used two large white onions and found that to be perfect. I cooked the onions for a half hour before I added the broth, and used the sherry, which I think is necessary in making this. This recipe did not need any additional seasonings, it's perfect as printed.I did use beef stock instead of broth though. The stock I used is Kitchen Basics and it is sold in a juice box like container. Using it will make any soup much better than canned broth! This recipe is a keeper, thanks for sharing Lori!

OH-MY-GOSH!! I cannot believe how simple AND delicious this soup is!! I doubled the recipe and brought this to our family Sunday fiasco and the crock pot was emptied!! They LOVED it, not to mention they think I can cook! I used 1 large vidalia onion, 1 large white onion, and about 4-5 med yellow onions (which I put on my sunglasses & stuck tissue up my nose while slicing, time to invest in a slicer as my hubby really thinks I'm a nut, hey, but it worked)! I sauteed those in the onion and oil then threw it all in the crotch pot. Oh and I used half of the full strength broth (10.75 oz Campbells), and half swanson, which is diluted. And I added the Parmesan to the soup as it brewin'. Thanks so much Lori, it IS great!

I've been trying to perfect the onion soup for years, and this recipe served as a perfect base. I try onion soup every chance i get, and I still say mine is the best. This recipe is simple and delicious as is, but here are my tweaks to take it up a notch into perfect (or as close as i've come to date). 1. Use 2 Large Yellow Onions/2 Lg Red Onions 2. Use 1/2 the butter, that's simply too much 3. Caramelize the onions. Naturally. Throw a couple pinches of salt during this process to help the onions sweat. 4. Add 2 cloves minced garlic (w/ onions) 5. Use FRESH THYME Bundle and Bay Leaves and add them WITH the onions. 6. Use 1C Red Wine to deglaze onions. Bring to Boil then Down to simmer and add broth 7. (Here's my magical twist). 6 Cups of Broth - 4 Beef, 2 Chicken (I use Better than Boullioun paste because it's not too salty and therefore I can control the salt) 8. Add 2 tsp Worcestier Sauce (oh...this is key) 9. Chunk and toast french Baguette before adding to soup 10. Shredded GRUYERE Cheese. If you can't find Gruyere, 2 Provolone slices is fine..don't use Swiss. (still dash some parm/romano on there) Voila.

My guy loves onion soup and he said this was a good as any he's eaten in fine restaurants. It's very simple to make. Like others my only additions were 1 beef bouillon cube and 2 tsp. of Worcestershire sauce. I did make one mistake - when it was simmering I forgot to cover it and I ended up only having enough for 3 - a lot of it evaporated - so remember to cover!!!! Thanks submitter - will be making this often.

This makes the most delicious French onion soup ever! Do not deviate from or make substitutions for the instructions and do use the sherry! Lori, thank you so much! I have made this 3 times and it is sooooooo good!

We left out all the butter and still felt this was full of flavor. Wonderful soup!

As written, I can only give this a three star. It is a basic onion soup recipe that is tasty, but lacks the full-bodied flavor of great onion soup. If you do not carmalize your onions, the soup does not have the sweet flavor of a good onion soup. To carmelize you need to saute at a low heat and be very patient. It typically takes me about an hour to carmelize the 4 cups of onion. Also, cut the fat in this recipe if you are going to try it. No need to fill this recipe with about 150 grams of fat as written. Use just enough fat to keep your onions from burning.

Here is a hint for cutting the onions, leave the root side for last. All the tears are in that end. My uncle gave me this tip and I never cry while cutting the onions.

YOU DO HAVE TO BROWN THE ONIONS!!! This is what gives depth to the soup. I also toast the bread before putting it in the soup. You put one toast at the bottom of the bowl, a little bit of cheese, the soup and the last toast with a lot of cheese on top and the you broil.

You know, I decided that I wanted to re-review this recipe. As I search on allrecipes.com for recipes, namely, french onion soup recipes (cause of curiousity) I wonder why anyone else even bothers submitting different recipes. This is the BEST french onion soup I have EVER had and my family and friends BEG me to make it. I crave it almost daily. I only make it a few times a year, though. It freezes well, and it tastes FANTASTIC. Don't even bother with other recipes... this is it!!! Personally, I add a lot more dry sherry than the recipe calls for... I honestly think that's what makes this recipe so good.

I can't imagine French onion soup without caramelizing the onions; that required sauteing them for about 35 minutes for me. I used sweet onions to get the most out of the caramelization due to their higher sugar content. I omitted 2T of the fat, salt (there's plenty in the cheeses!), used low-sodium beef broth & French sourdough bread, baked & toasted. Additionally, I added a clove of fresh minced garlic, used a sprig of fresh thyme rather than dried, fresh mozzarella cheese rather than provolone to achieve that gooey cheese thing, and the nutty goodness of Gruyere for my Swiss cheese. The sherry brought it over the top. Great tasting soup, for us, with these changes. Thanks, Lori!

Hubby and I just recently started eating French Onion soup so I thought I should try to make some... made today for lunch(perfect day for it..snowing outside).. it turned out quite good. I caramelized the onions and probably added a bit more cheese than called for.. also added some worsteschire(sp?)couple dashes and added some minched garlic when cooking the onions.. I used garlic parmesean croutons..only thing I would change next time would be to cut down the butter.. you could almost taste it. Overall this is a keeper!

this is a great base recipe! I used a mixture of red spanish onions, and yellow onion. sliced thin, then carmelized them for over an hour. I used 2 minced garlic cloves, 5 c. beef broth, 1c. chicken broth..deglazed my pan with 1/2C. white wine (DO DEGLAZE YOUR PLAN!! use something - red wine, vermouth, champagne, sherry,, it *really* adds to the flavor!!!), then put it all in my slow cooker on low, for the rest of the afteroon (3 hours?), with bunches of fresh thyme, and some crushed bay leaves. before eating, I grated some fresh parmesan, and put 'a small handfull' into the bottom of each bowl, then ladled the soup into my FOS bowls,, with a slice of toasted french bread (next time I think I will make the croutons, as the sliced bread was a little hard to cut through after baking. I think a 'stuffing/crumb' topping would be better IMO). used a thin slice of gruyere overtop each bowl, w/ some chopped chives. VERY IMPRESSED. will make again, pronto

You MUST caramelize the onions and toast the bread or this isn't classic French Onion Soup! Simmering all day also helps to produce a rich deep soup broth and adds to the flavor.

Delicious soup which I'll be making again. Unfortunately I didn't have large bread slices so I just used a couple of small slices from a baguette and broiled some shredded cheese on top but it wasn't nearly as yummy as putting the whole thing under the broiler with lots of cheese on it but I've given it a top rating because the onion broth was so tasty. I have to buy some onion soup bowls and will try it again when I've done that.

This was pretty good. I know what I will do next time to make it a 5-star recipe. The sherry seemed to overpower the soup and gave it too much sweetness. So, I put a bit of red wine vinegar in it to take away the sweetness and that really helped. The beef broth I used was Trader Joe's organic beef broth. I wouldn't skimp on the broth. The onions really must be carmelized for the best flavor. I toasted thick slices of Trader Joe's French baguettes and put Trader Joe's "Quattro Formaggio" on top. Quattro Formaggio is a cheese blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina, and mild Provolone which was a wonderful blend of cheeses to compliment the French onion soup.

Perfect.. I changed nothing other than not using sherry cause I had none. Thank you.

Super yummy! I halved the recipe and used plain yellow onions, which I sauteed in the butter/oil combo until caramelized, about 30 minutes. To speed up the caramelization, I sprinkled the onions with a little sugar and salt. I also used fresh thyme from the garden vs. dry, and added a teaspoon or so of beef bullion powder. One tip I had to make the soup a little less "greasy"- I dipped my bread slices in the pot of onions before adding the broth to soak up some of the butter/oil before toasting the bread in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. Mmmm!

A very good base for onion soup. I add 1 or 2 cloves of chopped garlic, and cook the onions on low heat for about an hour to slowly carmelize them. I add more sherry (about 1/4 cup) and find that any red wine will do in a pinch. I also toast the bread first, and use any cheese on hand such as parmesan, swiss, gruyerre, provolone, even meunster. You just want to have a combo of an ooey gooey cheese and a pungent flavored cheese like romano or parmesan. Topping with parsley at the end makes for a lovely presentation.

Wonderful recipe. Many others did not call for Provolone (we are not Swiss fans), and I only had Sherry on hand (rather than red wine) so I chose this recipe over all the others. Despite the finicky eaters at the table who do not like their bread 'soppy' everyone enjoyed the soup. Other recipes asked for sugar to be added to the onions, which I did out of curiosity. I will not add the sugar in the future. After carmelizing the onions, there is plenty of sugar. The only other thing I did differently is to use my own beef stock from a Crock-potted roast. I believe homemade stock is always better than consomme or boullion cubes. Thank you Lori for a great recipe!

This one is a little tricky. I read all the reviews prior to making it. I followed all directions in recipe and took some advise from other reviewers. I found that the only things I changed were cooking the onions a little longer and adding some flour at the end of the onion cooking process to absorb some of the butter and it turned out GREAT. The second time I made it I cut the butter and oil amts in half and it DID NOT taste the same - so I don't recommend that. Do as the recipe says, but brown the onions and add the flour, It needs the butter for the GOOD flavor!

4 stars as is...to make it 5 I made basically the same minor changes as many of the previous posters: 1) You DO want to brown/carmelize the onions for better flavor. (I used the onions I had on hand: Vidalias) 2) since I was using bullion broth I omitted the salt....bullion is salty enough on it's own and I hate overly salted onion soup. I only use Knorr brand bullion.....using the best broth/bullion is really important. For the pepper "to taste" I used 1/4 tsp. 3) I doubled the Sherry...I DO like to taste the wine in the soup for added body/flavor. As one poster noted....some folks have changed it so much it is no longer close to the same recipe!!!

This is a classic French Onion Soup recipe that I have used for years. The only change, being said by other also, is to carmelize the onions. Saute the onion on a very low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Do not burn the onions. It adds so much more depth to the soup.

I did everything I could possibly do to botch this soup and it still turned out delicious! I didn't have an Thyme so instead of regular butter I used Kerrygold herb and garlic flavored butter. Couldn't remember how much of a stick was a half cup so I just tossed in what was left...about 7/8ths of a stick. Went to add the olive oil and couldn't find my tablespoon so I just estimated. I used 2 medium yellow onions which left me just shy of the 4 cups so I tossed in two diced garlic cloves and some green onions to make up the difference. Sautéed for about 20 minutes but did not carmelize the onion mixture. Then comes the kicker...I looked for my beef bullion and I couldn't find it so I had to use low sodium CHICKEN broth with some chicken base because I am out of salt too! I also has no sherry so I used a splash of raspberry white vinegar!! Simmered it for the half hour and then because I didn't have any ramekins I just tossed the soup in a big mug with a chunk of stale French bread put 3 slices of provolone on top and microwaved it. Despite all of that it was still delicious and tasted reasonably like French onion soup is supposed to. Even with the chicken broth instead of beef! I can only imagine how yummy it would be if I made it with the right ingredients!! Thanks for the recipe, I will make it properly soon and if I remember I will submit a new review!

I made some changes: added worchesterchire, chopped fresh parsley, a good deal of riesling wine, but no sherry, and I used only parmesan cheese. Don't hover over the stove "continually stirring" the onions...certainly keep an eye on them, but part of the beauty of this thoroughly scrumptious recipe is that it's a throw-together no-brainer!

This recipe is awesome! I've been making it for about a year now and have discovered that you can make it using about 1/4 of the butter and a touch of EVOO and it tastes just as good without all the fat.

This was great! Definitely did NOT need 1/2 cup butter or the olive oil. I used 6 T butter and it was still too much, probably would be okay with just 1/4 cup. I toasted my bread before broiling as others suggested, which helped a little with the sogginess.

wow!!! awesome!

Everyone that I've made this soup for has said it's the best French Onion soup they've ever had! (I don't think that my mother-in-law liked hearing that!)

This is a great recipe, and our family are FOS addicts! A few sugggestions: Letting the onions carmelize is a must - and try adding some minced garlic in with the onions - it's a great layer of flavor in this soup. I would substitute a couple of bay leaves for the thyme (too strong of a flavor for me, bay is much more subtle). And the bread definitely needs to be either toasted, or stale, so it doesn't disintegrate completely in the soup. I've also found that buttering the outside of the bowls (and the lip) makes the cheese come right off - and you WANT to get every gooey bit! It also makes cleanup a snap... it can be such a pain to get that baked cheese off the soup bowl! 5 stars for this one!

Made Garlic Croutons from this site, and they went PERFECTLY with this recipe. I followed other reviews and carmelized my onion; 8 Tablespoons of Butter and 2 Tablespoons and probably 6 cups of onions, cooked over medium heat for over an hour. Next time I am doubling the recipe because I wanted leftovers and there weren't any!

This is a great recipe. Thanks Lori! I like to add a bit more sherry and some crushed garlic cloves (add while simmering, remove before serving). Also, the first time I made it, it was a little bland, so really go for it with the salt & pepper!

Lives up to its name - Rich and Simple! We usually double the recipe when we make this but found that you have to use 6 or 7 cans of beef broth instead of 8 (and make up the rest of the liquid with just water) if you don't want it too salty. You don't have to double the thyme as well as it would be overpowering. Also, we broil the bread with cheese separately so that the bread doesn't get too soggy.

This was a 5 star recipe, but I made a few changes that made it a 10 star, no kidding! I used white cooking wine instead of the Sherry, and added 3 Tbles Brandy after I turned the fire off, toasted the french bread, and used Gruyere cheese, with shaved fresh Parmesan on top of that. Spendiferious!

I made this with half the butter and, like others have pointed out, caramelizing the onions is a step you must not skip. Add about 1/2 tsp salt to the onions and saute for about ten minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Then turn head down to low, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or so until the onions are soft and caramel colored. Toasting the bread before putting it in the soup means it is less soggy. If you can find it, I'd recommend Gruyere cheese over Swiss and Provolone.

I would rate this higher if I could. My husband thought this was better than anything he's ever had in a restaurant! I carmalized the onions- I used 3 large yellow onions. I added about 2 tsp chopped garlic near the end of carmalizing the onions. I then added 1/2 cup of red wine and 3 cans of beef broth. I used quite a bit more thyme than the recipe called for and the key, I think, was the addition of red wine vinegar- I would estimate that I added about 1.5 tablespoons. This really gave it a punch of flavor. I don't have any oven proof soup crocks so I first smeared the sliced of french bread with a thin layer of butter then toasted in a skillet on the stove top. I topped them on the bowls of soup then added the cheese and microwaved until the cheese melted- about 40 seconds. Perfect!

Followed this recipe mostly, instead of 2T sherry, I subbed 2T dry white vermouth, used thinly cubed guyeyre cheese topped with grated ramono cheese, turned out great! This my first attempt. Will definately make again. Thanks!

AWESOME!AWESOME!AWESOME!AWESOME!AWESOME!AWESOME! My Brazilian hubby wouldn't even LOOK at soup, let alone taste it when we were first married. We went to a pizzeria where this soup was being served. My hubby tasted my soup and asked if I could make it. I found this wonderful recipe! I served this at many family functions and I didn't make enough for everyone. It was a hit!

I wish I had read the reviews before making this - I agree that browning/caramelizing the onions would have given it more flavor. I also think the amount of butter could be cut in half. I'll definitely make it again with those modifications.

Excellent! My husband especially loved this! I substituted the Swiss with Mozarella but trying a different twist to suit one's taste is the way to go when you're cooking anyway! I highly recommend this recipe!!!

YUMMY! That's all ya need to know.

Yummy! This soup is extremely rich and tastes exactly like the FOS I've had at high-end restaurants...actually, it tastes BETTER! The FOS I've had at those pricey restaurants is so dang salty! I changed mine up quite a bit. I'm the type of cook who doesn't really measure anything, unless I'm baking. I used 5 huge white onions, which btw, took 3 flippin' hours to carmelize!!! Maybe it was my choice of onion? Next time I'll use yellow onions. It was so worth it though :) Didn't have sherry, so I used red wine...I don't know how much, maybe 1/4 cup, with which I deglazed the pan. For the cheese I used fontina and fresh mozzarella and left out the parmesan. I cut my french bread about an inch thick then cubed it and toasted it til it was golden brown. French bread is light and airy inside, even though I toasted it, it seemed quite soggy. I think next time I'm going to use a baguette like I normally do.

Wow~this is really delicious! Make sure to use unsalted butter as this is still plenty salty. Use a good quality beef broth and you can't go wrong with this recipe! MMmmm, my mouth is watering writing this! Thank you.

I agree, you've got to carmelize the onions first. I also cut back on the amount of butter. Great flavor after these changes.

Yummy. I followed the direction. The soup was wonderful.

What an easy, yet fantastic recipe. I did add a couple tablespoons of worcestershire. Next time I might add a bit of garlic.

Three words....TOO MUCH THYME! I had a feeling it was a lot, but followed the recipe anyway. I wish I had read the poorer ratings first. A pinch would have been plenty and then the soup probably would have been fine.

I followed the recipe as written and used our garden onions. My husband flipped out, he LOVED it! Great recipe!

FANTASTIC! I slightly browned the onion, but not much...this is an easy and super tasty recipe that I will make again and again!

FANTASTIC!!! And SOOO simple!! I did brown the onions like other reviewers suggested but I didn't add the sherry, thyme, or parmesan (didn't have it) and it was still better than I have had in restaurants. OUTSTANDING! I have found my new escape... I will be making this again and again and again : )

Please do carmalize your onions (adds so much flavour).. take your time... makes all the difference.. a splash of dry cooking sherry also makes the 'french' part so tasty!

I cooked the onions as suggested but instead of simmering them I through the ingredients in the crockpot for a few hours. When I got home I just served up the bowls broiled the cheese and it was ready in a snap. I'd have to say it was the easiest meal I have ever prepared.

I made this recipe last night when I got home from work. It was easy to make and everyone loved it. The only thing I did different was I broiled some Texas Toast (garlic flavor) and used that instead of French Bread. The garlic flavor in the soup was excellent. This will be a make again recipe. Sandy

LOVED IT!! After reading other reviews I opted for carmelized onions (4 large)....to prevent less tearing, put them in the fridge the day before, used red wine (almost used an ale beer instead, will try that next time)...added 1/2 c red wine when onions were a their prime, cooked off the wine and sprinkled with a little flour. added 12 cups water with 12 beef bullion cubes and 2 paks swanson beef boosters. I let it come to a boil and let it simmer for 20 min. I added another 1/4 cup red wine and let it simmer for another 20 min. It was pretty amazing! Definately going to make this again!

Simply wonderful! No sherry needed for a great flavor

This is absolutely delicious! I made it vegetarian with a beef flavored veggie broth. Otherwise I followed the recipe as written. I would say the sherry is an important part of the finished flavor. I'm glad I went to the trouble to get some to put in.

This recipe as written is only 3 stars..but if you carmalize the onions before adding your other ingrediants it instantly becomes a 5 star recipe!

Great basic recipe, good job. The only two things I did different was the add red wine instead of sherry and used a hand held blender to mix the onions. It is a little easier to eat when you mix the onions makes it thicker.

followed the recipe exact except did not at the wine (i didn't have any) and i added some flour to the sauted onions to help thicken the soup a little. Husband loved and and I plan on making this again!

WOW!! I made this at my mother in-laws request while they were here visiting us last week and she said it was the best she had ever had! I tweaked it oh so slighlty (because that is just how I cook). Make sure you carmelize your onions... so important!! I used a cream sherry which made it a little more smooth, FRESH thyme and 2 garlic cloves, worchestire sauce, mushrooms and used a blend of cheeses. In place of french bread I used an asiago cheese baquette which was fabulous!! Thank you so much for a wonderful onion soup recipe!! Unfortunatley my hubby doesn't like it so this will be something I will have to make for me when he isn't around.

Saute chopped onions till golden brown (carmalized) then add tsp. or so of chopped garlic. Add beef broth and simmer for 6 to 8 hrs. Add a little salt and very little Worcestershire Sauce. Add Bristol Irish Cream (again not to much) and Beer. Put in bowl, top with toasted bread. Add cheese on top and broil till cheese is melted and is slight golden brown around edges. Add these ingredients and it will be a 5 star. If serving to children leave the alcohol off.

This is BY FAR the BEST french onion soup recipe I've found! Everyone always raves about it - my husband and I both absolutely LOVE it! I usually end up using whatever cheese I have on hand but it always turns out wonderful!

Very good. Brown your bread, caramelize the onions, half butter, watch your salt, a little extra red wine doesn't hurt.

I followed the recipe exactly and it's the best onion soup I've ever made. I love the Thyme in it, gives it a nice rich flavor. Thanks for a great recipe!

Absolutely delicious!! This is very easy to make and I strongly recommend this. I made small changes to the recipes by using just 1 type cheese instead of the recommended 3 types. It is the best French Onion soup I have tasted.

Ok - I have never had french onion soup before so I don't have anything to compare it to. However, since this is my first time in both making and eating it - what a great recipe to christen the occassion!! It was awesome!!! I have been converted! My boyfriend - a french onion soup expert - agreed that this was pretty darn good. We toasted the bread in the toaster first before adding it to the soup and cheese so it wouldn't get as soggy. Thank you Lori for opening my eyes! Will make many times from now!!

This was very good. I would have liked a little thicker (just slightly) soup and I definitely took the advice of others and carmelized the onions. I used a little gruyere cheese and then decided to put a slice of provolone on top. The melted provolone was a little rubbery so maybe I'll try some mozarella next time.

Perfection. Pure and simple. I made a few changes, out of both preference and necessity. I threw out the sentence "Do not brown the onions." because I think that's the best part. I used a beef and onion flavored beef broth, and a splash of dry cabernet sauvignon in place of the sherry, and instead of the provolone, swiss, and parmesean, I used shredded gruyere. The result was, hands down, the best French onion soup I've ever tasted. Thanks for this great recipe!

Kevins favorite! Ack! "Do not brown the onions"??? That's the best part of French Onion soup, the rich, caramelized onions! The ingredients for this soup are great, but I did cook my onions until they were a sweet and dark brown (not burnt) before adding the stock and other ingredients. Try it, you will be amazed at the richness it adds. I also like to toast the French bread a bit before it goes onto the soup, the bread is less slimy soggy if it is toasted.

A BEEF BOUILLON CUBE IS A MUST. It tastes like WATER without it.

I love French Onion soup. I wanted to try making it myself for the first time ever. I picked this recipe and it turned out great! I was very surprised how well it tasted. I highly recommend this recipe.

Awsome recipe Lori!!! Served at Bunko and they loved it! I served in bread bowls and it was a huge hit This is better than a lot of restaurants french onion and it is not too salty! This one is a sure winner!!!!!

Yum. Skipped the topping in lieu of fresh homemade salt bagels for dunking. Mmmmmm!

Turned out o'k. My boyfriend loves the onion soup at Panera and he says Panera is still the best. :( For myself I enjoyed the soup very much, but I love onions any way you cut them! Update 12/2014: Made this again and it turned out much better. I used Better than Bouillion for the broth, and I browned the dickens out of the sweet onions. Had some smoked Gouda to add to the topping as well, yum!

Fabulous recipe. I did as others suggested and sauteed the onions. I did not use butter, only olive oil and I also reduced the thyme to 1/2 tsp (personal preference). Will definitely make again!

i also browned the onions and toasted the braed bofore putting on top. Fam loved it

This recipe lives up to its name and beyond. Really rich in flavor, and deceivingly simple. I made it twice in one week. I used Maui onions, kin to Vidalias, but found in Hawaii. Awesome! I used provolone and parmesan simply because that's what I had to work with. They blended really nicely.

I love this recipe...it tastes great and you don't spent a day in the kitchen preparing. It has become a family tradition for Christmas dinner. I made it a day ahead of time this year and it was even better! Enjoy!

One of the things I like to rate at every restaurant I go to is the French Onion soups. This is way up there with some of the best I've ever had. I didnt have sherry so I used white wine, and I didnt have thyme so I used oregano. Had a blast melting the cheese on top!!! Thanks so much for a perfect French Onion Soup Recipe!!!

LOVE iT! Everyone who's had it tells me its one of the best they'e ever had. Made it constantly!

This is quite good. One thing as some others pointed out...it's IMPERATIVE that you caramelize the onions! That is what will make all the difference between an ok soup, to a great soup. This takes time - don't rush it. It will take about 20-30 minutes to properly caramelize onions. Perfect!

My husband really loved this soup. Because I always have tons of leftover onions in the bottom of my soup when I go out, I only used 3 cups of onions and it was just right. i couldn't get my picky 3 year old to even try it, but my 18 month old barely left any in my bowl for me!

this was very good but i deleted the optional sherry and perhaps it would have been better with it.

Awsome - Thanks! I use red, yellow and white onions and I can't cook with out a clove of garlinc, or two. I toasted the bread a little bit before I put it on top, I think it may absorb a little less soup. Will do it again.

The BEST french onion soup ever! I could not believe this recipie - it was the most delicious french onion soup myself and my boyfriend (who is a real french onion soup snob) had ever tasted, and it was the easiest recipie I've ever cooked, period. If you like french onion soup at all, even just a little bit, try this recipe. You'll be amazed. Thanks a mil Lori!!!

What a fantastic recipe! I used 2.5 sweet onions because that's what was on hand. I did caramelize the onions and deglazed the pan with about 1/4 cup red wine. I used a half teaspoon of thyme after reading the other reviews. Everyone in my family including the 7 and 4 year old kiddos really enjoyed this soup, this is a keeper!

Excellent and easy. The flavor was delicious. I wish the recipe had indicated how long the onions needed to saute.

I have been using this recipe for a couple of years now and not only does it surpass resturant quality, but it has made it easy and fast to make at home. many people have had it and are very impressed. in fact, i am making it now for a quick dinner with ceasar salad! thank you very much for this great addition.

This was really great. I made it as part of a Father's Day dinner for my husband because he LOVES French Onion Soup. I actually made it the night before and resimmered the soup before adding the fixings. I think the flavors really were enhanced by doing that and it was a time saver the day of the dinner. I would recommend getting the bread nice and toasted before putting in soup.

The soup is too thin and tasteless for my liking. Otherwise, onions, bread and cheese delicious.

Outstanding, hearty. Herbs de provence can be substituted for the thyme. Also, a veggie broth substitutes equally well for this otherwise vegan soup!

Ok - I have never had french onion soup before so I don't have anything to compare it to. However, since this is my first time in both making and eating it - what a great recipe to christen the occassion!! It was awesome!!! I have been converted! My boyfriend - a french onion soup expert - agreed that this was pretty darn good. We toasted the bread in the toaster first before adding it to the soup and cheese so it wouldn't get as soggy. Thank you Lori for opening my eyes! Will make many times from now!!

Excellent Carmelize onions Toast bread

Flavor is wonderful! I think I put too many onions in it-(5-6 lg) would have liked to have a little bit more broth- but that was do to me not the posted recipe. This was Great Thanks! I love this site!

This recipe is SO freaking good. There are a couple of things people should know, though. 1. The sherry is essential for the soup. Do not leave it out. 2. Caramelize the onions for the richest, best flavor. You'll thank me for this. 3. A nice trick is to toast the bread, then cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut side over the toasted bread before putting the toast in the soup and layering on the cheese. It's a subtle change but it really excellent. 4. Cut down on the butter or else you'll have a ton of grease floating on top after the cheese is melted.

veryyyy easy prep. you might cry a little cutting the onions, but its all worth it. ritzy taste.