French Onion Soup For Two
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French Onion Soup is a classic that’s always in season! This version is scaled perfectly for a lovely date night dinner for two. Start your romantic meal with this lovely soup, then serve these over-the-top Beef Tenderloin Fillets and Creme Brulee for dessert!
“This. Was. Amazing. It tasted as good as I had hoped it would! I love that it’s a smaller quantity, too.”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Sharing one of my all-time favorite soups that is most definitely served across France! I’ve enjoyed it in French bistros there, and if it’s on a restaurant menu here, I always order it.
The onion is a humble ingredient that usually adds flavor to other dishes. Soupe à l’Oignon, simply known as French onion soup, elevates this culinary workhorse to star status, like these Roasted Onions, and makes a luxurious, bistro-inspired meal for two.
Onions are caramelized with herbs to a rich golden brown, then simmered in a rich red wine-infused broth and topped with crusty, cheesy bread!
Caramelizing onions is definitely a labor of love, but the reward is a classic soup with incredible depth of flavor that’s well worth the time. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a little patience, you can recreate this classic French favorite right in your own kitchen!
How to Make French Onion Soup for Two:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this French onion soup recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Onions: Use conventional yellow or sweet onions, not red or white. Red onions are better raw and white onions are sharper than yellow.
- Olive Oil and Butter? Yes. Because butter tends to burn, you want to combine it with olive oil. No need to use expensive olive oil; a good, average olive oil will do. Ghee is a great substitute.
- Red Wine and White Wine? The red wine gets the flavor party started, and a touch of dry white wine (or dry sherry) adds acidity and balance so the soup is not too sweet. NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTE: Use half pomegranate juice and half water for the red wine and white wine vinegar for the white wine.
- Beef Broth: A good-quality beef broth or stock is important for French Onion Soup. However, good chicken, vegetable, or mushroom broth may be substituted.
- Gruyere Cheese: Gruyere is a Swiss or Alpine cheese with a sweet, nutty, and salty flavor. It melts beautifully and adds savoriness without overpowering the other ingredients. A less expensive alternative would be Emmental or Grand Cru.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat a Dutch oven or another heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the onions and stir to coat with the fat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes to soften them and to help bring out some of the moisture, stirring several times. Add the salt, bay leaf, and fresh thyme. Leave uncovered, keep the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking, stirring often so the onions brown evenly.
- Cook until the onions are a rich brown color, about 40 to 50 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook briefly for approximately 30 seconds. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Add the red wine, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until almost evaporated. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the beef broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly reduced. Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Add the white wine or sherry, starting with 1 tablespoon. Add more to taste if needed. Keep warm.
- Preheat broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Top the bread with cheese. Broil until melted and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with cheesy croutons. Alternatively, toast the bread at 325 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. Place the croutons over the soup, sprinkle with cheese, and broil briefly to brown the cheese. Serve immediately.
Lovely, cheesy oniony goodness! French Onion Soup for Two is the perfect starter for a romantic, bistro-inspired dinner!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- TIPS FOR CARAMELIZING ONIONS: Flavor-wise, there is no substitute for the low-and-slow stovetop method.
- I’ve tried numerous ways to speed up the caramelizing process, including doing a large batch in a slow cooker and adding a pinch of sugar. The result was brown onions with absolutely NO flavor!
- I’ve tried salting the onions right away and also not salting the onions until they were done. Both took between 45 minutes to 1 hour to achieve a rich, golden brown color. I now salt the onions after they’ve softened up a bit and focus on their flavor rather than the time it takes to caramelize them.
- Caramelized onions freeze well, so you may want to double or triple the onions to have them ready for another meal of this soup or for other recipes.
- HOW TO KEEP FROM CRYING WHEN CUTTING ONIONS
- Refrigerating onions first or placing them in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes will slow the flow of the sulfur enzymes that are released when the onion is cut.
- When working with a large volume of onions, place a small fan nearby to blow the tear-producing enzymes away from you.
- Cut close to your stovetop exhaust fan or near an open window.
- Wear swimming goggles.
- Place a lit candle on your cutting board. The flame helps to burn off the sulfur compounds.
- WAYS TO MAKE THE CHEESY CROUTON TOPPING:
- The first and easiest way is to place the bread slices on a baking sheet, top them with the grated cheese, broil for several minutes, and serve them atop the soup.
- The second way is to serve the soup gratinéed or baked in OVENPROOF bowls. Toast the bread at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes, turning once. Place the croutons over the soup, sprinkle with cheese, and broil briefly to brown the cheese.
- Serve either way immediately.
recipe faqs:
Onion soup usually combines onions and uses any type of stock or broth. French onion soup is traditionally made with yellow onions and is always made with beef stock or broth.
Yes, you absolutely can! Make the soup up to two days ahead of serving. Cool thoroughly and refrigerate. Reheat on the stovetop until heated through. Make the crouton topping when ready to serve.
This soup, or just the caramelized onions, will freeze beautifully. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave. Reheat on the stovetop until heated through. Make the crouton topping when ready to serve.
Serve with:
More elegant soup recipes:
- Cream of Celery Leaves Soup
- Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone
- Butternut Squash Brie Soup
- Creamy White Bean Rutabaga and Roasted Garlic Soup
Get all my soup recipes at Soup and Stew Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
French Onion Soup for Two
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large yellow onions, about 2 pounds, halved and thinly sliced (8-9 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 4 cups beef broth or stock, preferably low sodium
- 1 to 2 tablespoons dry white wine or dry sherry, optional and if needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 small sourdough baguette, sliced into 4 thick pieces, ends discarded
- 1/4 pound grated Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or another heavy pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the onions, stirring to coat with the fat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes to soften them and to help bring out some of the moisture, stirring several times.
- Add the salt, bay leaf, and fresh thyme. Leave uncovered, keep the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking, stirring often so the onions brown evenly. Cook until the onions are a rich brown color, about 40-50 minutes more.
- Add the garlic and cook briefly for approximately 30 seconds. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Add the red wine, bring to a boil and cook 3-4 minutes or until almost evaporated.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the beef broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes or until reduced slightly.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Add the white wine or sherry, starting with 1 tablespoon. Add more to taste if needed. Keep warm.
- Preheat broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Top the bread with cheese. Broil until melted and beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with cheesy croutons. Alternatively, toast the bread at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes, turning once. Place the croutons over the soup, sprinkle with cheese and broil briefly to brown the cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer not to use alcohol, use half pomegranate juice and half water for the red wine and white wine vinegar for the white wine.
- Vegetable or mushroom broth can be used in place of beef broth.
- Emmental or Grand Cru are less expensive alternatives to Gruyere.
- Refrigerating onions first or placing them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes will slow the flow of the sulfur enzymes released when the onion is cut.
- Make the soup up to two days ahead. Cool thoroughly and refrigerate.
- Reheat on the stovetop until heated through.
- Make the crouton topping when ready to serve.
- This soup or just the caramelized onions will freeze beautifully.
- Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave.
- Reheat on the stovetop until heated through.
- Make the crouton topping when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Loved this soup. So much flavor. Did not change a thing. I did use cooking sherry and cooking red wine. I love doing the croutons separately. This is my new go-to.
Hi, Lyn, Thanks so very much, and so happy you love this recipe! You certainly can improvise a little on the alcohol. Thank you for giving this recipe a try out of SO many others, and for taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Yum
Hi, Aaron, Thanks so much and happy you love this recipe. Appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate.
I was looking for a classic French onion soup in a smaller batch. I have this simmering on the stove right now on a beautiful fall day in Michigan. My hubby is working from home and it’s driving him crazy! I can already tell this is going to wonderful. It tastes delicious even before it has simmered fully. I added a few drops of liquid aminos since I didn’t have homemade beef broth. It’s adds that extra umami I like. Thank you for the great recipe. I will be searching your other recipes too.
Hi, Vicki, Thanks so very much and hoping you enjoyed! Sounds like you did. Appreciate you trying my recipe out of all the others and taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Yummy! I was wondering about 2 large onions. I used a lot more than that to get to 8-9 cups. Turned out yummy anyway, thanks.
Hi, April, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed and that it worked out for you. Appreciate your trying the recipe and coming back to comment and rate.
Easy delicious and we will be making this recipe again!
Hi, Anne, Thanks so much and so happy you love this recipe!! Appreciate your giving it a try out of all the French Onion Soup recipes out there and taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Question, what does “authentic” French Onion soup taste like? I make French onion soup . . . Fast like beef, onion and cheese . . Is there a flavored I’m missing? Let me know.
Hi, Dave, Thanks for your question. A number of people have said my recipe is the best they’ve ever tried. Caramelizing the onions takes time. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Thanks again!
Hey there, it’s the wine! And the fresh herbs. When you use the fresh herbs in the onions and you boil the wine until it’s almost evaporated, before adding the flour for the rue, that makes the flavor way different than basic beef broth and onion. I have no doubt that you will love it!
Hi, Emily, Thanks so very much and happy you love this recipe! Appreciate the input!
This is the most authentic tasting French onion soup I have tasted and I have tried so many other recipes. Easy to follow recipe and turns out delicious every time I’ve made it. Thank you.
Hi, Susan, Thank you so very much!! So happy you love this recipe! Really appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Excellent!
Thanks so much, Cindy! Happy you enjoyed!
This turned out really well! I did have a question, though…both step 3 and step 4 say to turn it to medium low, so should one of them say medium instead? I eventually had to turn it up to get any color on the onions.
Hi, Marla, Thanks so much and happy you enjoyed! If you think of Low, Medium and High on a burner, it would be between the Low and Medium. It would also depend upon which burner you used. I’ve got a five burner gas cooktop, but all the burners don’t put out the same amount of BTUs or heat. If I’m using the middle burner, quite often I have to set it to Low because even Low cooks at a pretty good pace once the pot/pan is simmering. Because you know your stove the best, you’ll need to make adjustments just the way you did–perfect! Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment. also appreciate the Facebook share!!
Made this last night for dinner for my husband and myself. Followed exactly and turned out delicious. Had some left over French bread and used the provolone I had in the fridge. YUM. Only thing I will do differently is use a cast iron next time. Think it will help the browning of the onions. DELICIOUS!
Hi, Nicole, Thanks so very much and so happy you both loved this recipe! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment. Happy Valentine’s Day to your both!