Bringing this amazing classic back around because it is starting to get chilly outside here in Texas - no snow yet, but why not lean into it with some toasty, cheesy soup?
Yields: About 1 quart
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Recommended equipment: sheet pan, dutch oven, oven-proof bowls
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs of onions (about 4 cups sliced)
3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
3 thyme sprigs
Kosher salt
4-5 cups of low sodium chicken stock
1 baguette
1 cup of gruyere cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350℉
Cut ½ inch thick slices of bread that fit just inside your bowls. Toast the bread on a sheet pan in the oven until dry and a little crisp on the edges, about 7 minutes.
Take the bread out of the oven and set it aside.
Heat the butter or olive oil in a heavy-bottomed dutch oven over medium-low heat on your stovetop.
Add the onions, thyme sprigs, and a few pinches of salt and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 30 minutes.
While the onions and thyme are cooking, warm the broth over medium heat in a saucepan.
Once the onions are cooked, turn up the heat to medium-high and cook the onions for another 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are a deep, caramel brown.
Once the onions are caramelized, pour in the warmed chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Taste your soup and add more salt as needed.
When the soup is done, preheat the oven to 450℉. Ladle soup into 4 oven-proof bowls, leaving about 1 inch of room below the rim. Place the toasted bread on top and cover each crouton with a few shavings of cold butter and ¼ cup grated gruyere cheese.
Place the bowls on a baking sheet and bake in the 450℉ oven or under the broiler until the cheese is hot and bubbling. Enjoy!