Classic French Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 6 large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup (150ml) dry white wine
• 4 cups (1L) beef or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
• 4 thick slices crusty bread
• 2 cups grated (7 oz / 200g) Gruyère cheese

Instructions

1. Melt butter with olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
2. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Don't rush this. Properly caramelized onions are deeply golden brown and sweet, not just soft and translucent. If they're sticking, add a splash of water and scrape up the fond—that's pure flavor.
3. Add sugar halfway through to help caramelization. If they start sticking, add a splash of water and scrape the bottom.
4. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
5. Pour in wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half.
6. Add stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Ladle into oven-safe bowls. Top with bread and a generous pile of Gruyère.
8. Grill under a hot broiler for 3-4 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.

Notes

The entire recipe hinges on step 2. Properly caramelized onions take 40+ minutes. If someone tells you 10 minutes, they're lying.