The beautiful thing about French onion soup is that while it looks complicated — mostly in its presentation — its actually quite simple to make. A few key ingredients give it its characteristically rich flavor and while there arent a lot of fancy cooking techniques required for making this dish, it does require some patience.
Its not a quick task to caramelize onions to perfection, it can take about an hour according to Martha Stewarts caramelized onion soup recipe. While an hour may seem excessive, Food 52 did an onion experiment where they caramelized the vegetable for 15, 30, and 60 minutes and found the onions that cooked the longest had the best flavor and texture. French onion soup is certainly a labor of love, and theres a window the onions need to stay within for them to play their proper role in the soup.
Cook them for too short a time and they are missing that rich, sweet flavor; cook them for too long and they burn. The proper technique requires standing at the stove, stirring, and monitoring in order to achieve the desired result but its well worth it (via Martha Stewart). But what makes it French onion soup as opposed to onion soup?
What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn’t typical or necessary in other onion soups.
Not just any old onion will do
French onion soup is a simple combination of caramelized onions, flour, butter, beef stock, and a bit of wine topped with a cheese toast (per The New York Times). While these ingredients are available in France, none of them are uniquely French, so what gives?
In comparing recipes for French onion soup and other onion soups, there are a few important things to note. The first of which is the type of onions you are using. Jamie Olivers recipe for onion soup calls for multiple types of onions, including red onions, white onions, and leeks, while BBC Good Food does not denote a specific type of onion in its recipe for British onion soup.
When looking at French onion soup specifically, Food.com notes that Julia Childs classic French onion soup calls only for yellow onions. Who better to know the ins and outs of French cooking than the one who mastered it herself?
Different types of onions have distinct flavor characteristics. Yellow onions tend to be sweeter and All Recipes notes that they are perfect for caramelizing. White onions tend to be mild and red onions tend to be on the spicy side, so a yellow onion is a perfect choice for this rich soup with a touch of sweetness.
The History of French Onion Soup
FAQ
Why is onion soup called French?
What’s the difference between French onion and caramelized onion?
What broth is French onion soup made of?
Are yellow or white onions better for French onion soup?
What’s the difference between French onion soup and English onion soup?
French onion soup, naturally, calls for French bread or a baguette while English onion soup is happy with any type of stale bread. If you’re an onion soup novice, the bread gets toasted and set on top of the soup, where it’s subsequently showered with lots of cheese.
Are boiled and fried onions the same as fresh onions?
Boiled and fried onions are not the same as fresh onions. During the cooking process, whether by cooking in water or by frying, there is a change in the composition of the onions. Fried onions are not recommended for consumption as they can be harmful to health.
What is French onion soup?
French onion soup is a simple combination of caramelized onions, flour, butter, beef stock, and a bit of wine topped with a cheese toast (per The New York Times ). While these ingredients are available in France, none of them are uniquely French, so what gives?
What kind of onions do you use in French onion soup?
For French onion soup, my number one choice is sweet onions (also known as Vidalia onions). Sweet onions have a mild, sweet flavor that really shines through in this soup. They are also much easier to caramelize than other onions, which is an important step in this recipe. In a pinch, yellow onions will do.