French Onion Soup

Ingredients

0 of 11 out on the counter

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lb yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 6 cups no-salt-added beef broth (1.4 L)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 6 slices whole-wheat baguette, ½ in thick
• 3 oz Gruyère, shredded (85 g, about ¾ cup)
• 1 bay leaf

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Warm the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions and the salt and stir to coat.
2. 2Cook uncovered, stirring every few minutes, for about 40 minutes, until the onions are soft and light gold. Turn the heat down a little if they stick.
3. 3Keep cooking and stirring for 20 to 25 minutes more, until they are deep brown and sweet. The pot will look much too empty. That is right.
4. 4Stir in the garlic for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and scrape the brown film off the bottom of the pot. Boil until nearly gone, about 3 minutes.
5. 5Add the broth, thyme, pepper and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook 40 minutes. At 5,300 feet water boils near 203 °F, so a simmer takes about a quarter longer than the same pot at sea level. Take out the bay leaf and taste for salt.
6. 6Heat the oven to 400 °F or the air fryer to 400 °F. Toast the bread 3 to 4 minutes a side in the oven, or 3 minutes in the air fryer, until dry and golden.
7. 7Switch the oven to broil. Set six oven-safe bowls on a sheet pan and ladle in the soup. Float a toast on each and pile on the cheese.
8. 8Set the rack in the top third and broil 2 to 3 minutes, until the Gruyère bubbles and spots brown. Let the bowls sit 3 minutes; they are very hot.