Easy French Onion Soup for Guests

This is a very good recipe. However, make sure to remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. The French use wine often to flavor their food. I think it's silly to omit wine in a recipe simply because you "don't drink". The wine is not to get you drunk. It is an ingredient necessary to achieve the desired flavor in a dish. So to the previous reviewer, I don't think you should give one star when you obviously did not use the wine, which would have made a huge difference.

I learned how to make this from Vincent Price's cookbook. It is a long and intermediate recipe. Chef John's recipe here gets the flavor w/o all the fuss. This is an excellent and simple version. The alcohol cooks off and the sherry flavor combines perfectly with the cheese and onions. It is a warming aromatic blend of flavor, which makes it perfect for winter evenings when you know you are "in for the night-all snuggy and warm".

French Onion Soup is my son's favorite and he liked this the best! Very easy to make and flavorful. I love the splash of dry sherry and sherry vinegar. As Chef John suggested in his video recipe to purchase the real Gruyere cheese (which I did) and that adds a layer of pure culinary sophistication. Allow it to simmer long and slow. A wonderful meal on a cold day or anytime!

Didn't like the flavour at all. When I've had French Onion soup in France the onions were cooked more quickly until they took on a darkish brown colour. This recipe "stews" them and allows the sugar to come out of the onions making it, to me, sickly sweet. Sorry, but not to my taste.

This was a good onion soup! I used red wine vinegar and a dry white wine because I didn't have sherry or sherry vinegar. I didn't have Gruyere and neither did the store I looked at. Gruyere would be much better though, but I didn't let any of this affect my rating. The reason it doesn't get 5* from me is that I didn't care for the blend of beef and chicken broths; it wasn't as rich as using all beef broth. Other than that, good soup, and DO use the Gruyere if you can get it!

Excellent french onion soup! Not too heavy nor too salty, as some restaurant versions are. I didn't have sherry handy, so used what I had - red wine vinegar & brandy. Still turned out fantastic! Thanks Chef John!

First, this review is to educate those cooks who eliminate wine from recipes because they do not drink...... The alcohol in the wine evaporates as the soup cooks, leaving only the essence of the grapes from which it was made. White vinegar sounds gross as a substitute. I use that in Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, (for the sour). Please try this with the suggested ingredients. It will be delicious.

My family loved this. Was a little sweet , won't use vidilia onions next. My fault.

The easiest French onion soup ever. Everybody who try's it loves it. Chef John is one of my favorites.

I did not care for this recipe. Granted we don't drink so I substituted water instead of sherry and white vinegar instead of sherry vinegar. Probably a cardinal sin but still the base flavor was not pleasant.

This was fabulous!!!!!

This was simple and delicious! Adding to my recipe box!

We always loved onion soup, but I was afraid to make it, thinking that it was a complicated recipe. But this is just so easy to make and sooo good! My husband (who is French and used to onion soup in good French restaurants) and I just loved it.

Just as flavorful as any of the many French Onion soups I have ordered over the years at restaurants. I wish I had known how easy it is to make- I would have done this sooner! I made some minor changes. I used all beef broth, couldn't find sherry vinegar so I used red wine vinegar and I sliced my onions in the traditional way. Also couldn't find fresh thyme sprigs so I used a pinch of crushed thyme I had on hand. I did use an excellent amontillado sherry. The depth of flavor was outstanding. Cooking sherry will have a very different flavor from the real stuff. All in all this was a really yummy recipe & I will be making this often. It is SOOO simple. Try it!

I thought this was too sweet and ended up adding salt when I ate it. It was very easy to make though.

My husband absolutely loves french onion soup and he thought this recipe was delicious!! Chef John, you've done it again!! Thanks! I didn't change a single ingredient (which is rare for me, I'm adventurous in the kitchen, but I know a winner when I see it and I don't mess with it!).

Delicious! My daughter made this and it was truly wonderful! Definately will try with Gruyere cheese, we used Swiss and Parmesan. I agree if I had known how easy this was to made we would have made it sooner, I always thought French Onion Soup was extremely complicated and difficult to make. This is a great recipe, will share with my family and friends! Thanks Chef John for sharing this fantastic recipe, as my Mom always said, this recipe is "tried and true!"

Very yummy onion soup. My husband and I loved it but the children did not. Not really a flavor most kids enjoy but for adults it's great.

I used white wine and red wine vinegar because I didn't have Sherry. I also added a little garlic. It was delicious!

We absolutely loved this soup. We will definitely be preparing this many times in the future.

Just made this. I had sherry but no sherry vinegar so used white wine vinegar. No Gruyere but used a combo of sharp cheddar and Mexican cheese. Only had one large onion but it still came out great. I added about 1/4 cup more beef broth, just to my taste as I think it made it richer tasting. This is the best french onion soup I've ever made.. it's restaurant quality!

Love French onion soup. I use Tarragon instead of thyme. Simple easy soup!

Easy, tasty, good meatless meal. Everyone had seconds.

Another Chef John winner! Just like french onion soup in a fancy restaurant. I made it just as written, and now after watching the video - chop my onions this way too. Fantastic flavor, and oh so easy! I did not have Gruyere so I used Asiago.

amazing soup

This was amazing, we'll definitely be making it again. The one substitution I made was that I used red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar - because that was what my grocery store had, but I don't think it made much of a difference. I thought I would be clever and bake these in bread bowls - but that was a mistake. The soup soaked into the bread too much (even after pre-toasting the bread bowls) and made a mess - and sort of just left the onions alone in the bowl while all the broth was soaked into the bread. It was still delicious, but not quite what I was going for. I think I might increase the amount of broth that I add next time, it seemed like the onion to soup ratio was pretty high - even before the broth all soaked into the bread. But seriously, I love French Onion soup and this recipe did not dissappoint!

after letting the soup simmer for 45 minutes the liquid was completely evaporated. I added more chicken and beef broth and cooked it a little longer. I also put a splash of sherry in the bowl before I melted the cheese and it was great.

This soup was very good--and easy. I did have to change the type of cheese as I didn't have gruyere. I will definitely make it again.

Thanks to Chef John for another winner. This was delicious and love the easy to follow directions. Very high reviews from everyone who tasted it! Yummmmmm

Made just as posted! Delicious!

Yes I loved it.

I will definitely make it again......didn't have any chicken stock so used all beef stock.....used red wine vinegar and merlot.... as I live alone I had a lot to put in the freezer....in baggies just the soup. Today I heated some of it in an open pot using a soup bowl for a cover.....I had crumbled some gruyere in the bowl then added chunks of a baguette when I poured the hot soup into my bowl....sorta made an upside down French Onion soup.

This was so easy and tasted better than any restaurant recipe! The only thing I did differently was to use white wine vinegar (did not have the sherry vinegar) and after onions were cooked and all ingredients combined, I put in my slow cooker for the day. Definitely a tasty and now favorite recipe!

Liked this a lot. It wasn't too salty and is easy to make. The gruyere cheese is worth the extra cost.

Fabulous!! I followed the recipe to a "t" except I used 5 cheese Texas toast and substituted white wine for the water...Wow....this is great and worth the wait...

Yes I loved it.

Husband loved it. I browned the onions.

I skipped the vinegar and sherry, had a lovely flavor very plain and simple style onion soup. I didn't Brown the onions as long as it said in the recipe. I wish I had, would have added that much more!

Delicious and very easy to prepare.

This recipe is very close to my Parisian friend's who showed me how to make her family's rendition. The minor differences are cutting the onions into very thin rings with a mandolin and cooking them very, very slowly, 90 minutes minimum, stirring occasionally. This allows the onions to caramelize and release the sugar. Yes, the finished soup should have a hint of sweetness. I use brandy rather than sherry for the alcohol. My broth is a homemade beef broth that has a good depth of flavor. Chef John's recipe is good and well worth making if the cook is in a hurry. The final step of putting the individual bowls under the broiler is a must to produce a gratinée. Thanks Chef John for helping America put amazing food on the table one new dish at a time.

This is very good. Easy to make and flavorful. Needs a little something to be a 5 star , wine maybe

Used red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar

This was great. I got the gruyere but didn't have any sherry. Everything else was made as said. My friends and husband loved it. I will absolutely make again.

I followed the recipe exactly and after tasting before the serve, I added salt and pepper. I think next time I would do all beef broth - and I would put the bay leaf and thyme in a bag as I couldn't find all the bits. My guests all complimented the recipe and I will definitely be making it again

I have made this about 10 times for family and friends. It is always a hit. After starting on the stove, I pop it in my crock pot until its ready for the oven.

We loved the taste... very much like French Onion Soup I had in Quebec City. I used to cook the onions much faster, with some dark bits, but it made the soup bitter. Sweating onions in this manner takes more time but is totally worth it. I had homemade deli style rye and DID NOT substitute the Gruyere, as per chef John's orders ;) Worried a bit about the salt content but it was fine and so darn goon. Will make again for sure.

Oh my! My new favorite soup! This is finger-licking delicious! Very hearty, rich and filling! instead of the baguette slice I used homemade croutons sprincled with a shamefully great big amount of grated Gruyere! Also used brandy and plain vinegar, since that's what I had lying around at the moment. Worked just fine, the taste of brandy adds deliciousness! For epic foodgasm, enjoy on a cold rainy day under a mountain of blankets!

If I had only known how simple it was to make this so loved soup ... Ah, well, now I do. Such a rich and deep flavorful broth. Perfection. Thank you so much Chef John.

Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as is and it was perfect! Will definitely make again!