Home » Easy French Onion Soup Recipe Served In Bread Bowls

Easy French Onion Soup Recipe Served In Bread Bowls

Name: Easy French Onion Soup Recipe Served In Bread Bowls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 5 large onions - 3 sweet onions and 2 yellow onions; 3 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 4 garlic cloves - minced; 1/2 cup dry sherry or red wine; 6 -7 cups beef broth or beef stock; 3 sprigs of fresh thyme; 1 sprig of fresh sage; 1 bay leaf; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; Salt and black pepper - to taste; Parmesan cheese rind (optional); 4 to 6 large bread bowls (depending on the size) - hollowed out; 1.5 cups Gruyére cheese or Swiss cheese - grated; 3/4 cup parmesan cheese - grated; Optional garnish - chopped fresh parsley

Laura @ Join me in the Kitchen

April 15, 2025

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Hollowed out bread rounds with onion soup topped with melted cheese and fresh herbs. The tops of the bread round are leaning against the sides of the rounds. Bread rounds are on brown paper.

Jump to Recipe

This delicious French Onion Soup is a great comfort food that is warm, rich, and cozy.

With caramelized onions, a savory broth, and gooey melted cheese, every spoonful is packed with flavor and served in a warm, crusty sourdough bread bowl!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Assembly Time: 5 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour + 20 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Prep Level: Beginner +

Recipe Info

Simple Ingredients – Made with onions, broth, bread, and cheese. Easy pantry staples.
Quick Prep and Cooking – Ready in about an hour with minimal effort.
Make-Ahead Friendly – Prepare the soup in advance and serve fresh in warm bread bowls when ready.
Impressive Presentation – A fun and rustic way to a classic comfort dish.

Ingredients

What You Will Need

Large onions
Butter
Olive oil
Flour
Garlic cloves
Dry sherry or red wine
Beef broth or beef stock
Fresh herbs – Thyme, sage, bay leaves, and parsley (optional garnish)
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper
Parmesan cheese rind (optional) – Adding this to any soup gives it a deeper flavor
Large bread bowls
Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese
Parmesan cheese

Helpful Tools and Equipment

Cutting board
Large chef’s knife or mandolin
Large pot or Dutch oven
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoon
Cookie sheet

How to Make

Caramelize the Onions

There is a slicing device (mandolin) with an onion on it. There are thin slices of onion. Items are on a wooden board.

Large pot with thinly sliced onions in it. Pot is on a wood surface.

Peel and thinly slice the onions. (see Tips) In a large pot, melt butter and olive oil. Add sliced onions. Cook, stirring often, until beginning to caramelize.

Deglaze and Simmer

Large pot with cooked onions in it. There is a small dish with flour in it and another with minced garlic in it. Items are on a wood surface.

Large pot with an onion mixture and brown liquid in it. There is a wooden spoon resting in the pot. Pot is on a wood surface.

Once the onions are caramelized, stir in the garlic and flour and allow it to cook. Pour in the sherry, scraping the bottom of the pan and removing any browned bits.

Large pot with a cooked onion mixture in it. There is a box of beef broth and a small metal sheet pan with fresh herbs and a cheese rind. Items are on a wood surface.

Large pot with a cooked onion, fresh herbs, and beef broth mixture in it. There is a wooden spoon resting in the pot. Pot is on a wood surface.

Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, sage, bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind (if using), salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer.

Prepare the Bread Bowls

There is a baking sheet with four hollowed out bread bowls. Pan is on a wood surface.

Black shallow bowl with two types of grated cheese. Bowl is on a wood surface.

Preheat the oven.

Cut off the tops of the bread rounds and hollow out the centers, leaving about 1/2-inch of bread around the edges. Bake bread bowls and their tops. Grate the cheese.

Assemble and Bake

There is a baking sheet with hollowed out bread rounds that have onion soup and grated cheese in them. There is a pot of onion soup, and a bowl of grated cheese. Items are on a wood surface.

Remove soup from heat. Discard herbs and cheese rind. Add grated parmesan cheese and stir the soup to incorporate. Ladle soup into each toasted bread bowl. Top evenly with grated Gruyère cheese.

Hollowed out bread round with onion soup topped with melted cheese and fresh herbs. The top of the bread round is leaning against the side. Bread round brown paper.

Bake until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Top with fresh herbs: thyme, sage, or parsley. Serve warm and enjoy!

For complete measurements and cooking times, see the recipe card below.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Use a Mandoline Slicer if you have one! Your onion slices will be consistent in width, and it will be faster.
Caramelize Slowly – Low and slow cooking creates soft, flavorful onions.
Use a Variety of Onions – For a deeper flavor, use a mix of yellow or white onions with sweet onions.
Bake the Bread Bowls – Toast them out before adding the soup. This helps the bread to be sturdy and not soak up too much soup.

How To Store

For best results, store the soup and the bread separately and assemble fresh before serving.

Soup: Let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bread Bowls: Store unused bread at room temperature in a sealed bag for a couple of days or freeze for up to 3 months.

What to Serve with French Onion Soup

Pair this delicious soup with:

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Grilled Steak – by Plays Well With Butter
Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Adds a nutritious crunch.
Steamed Broccoli
A glass of wine – Dry white wine balances the richness beautifully.
Simple Dessert – Easy Blueberry Galette

Yield: 6 to 8