I cannot express enough how good this soup turned out. I can’t stop talking about it either because I was truly shocked!! I wouldn’t consider myself a chef by any means, plus I lack patience, so I feel like I almost always mess up a recipe the first couple of times. I’m not kidding when I say this soup turned out almost perfect the first time I made it, which means it’s gotta be foolproof.

So on a cozy Saturday evening at home, as I do, all I wanted was a French onion soup, but obviously I wasn’t going to leave the home. This actually isn’t the first time I’ve found myself in this exact predicament. Need French onion soup. Can’t leave couch. Only DoorDash option: Ocean Prime, $24 + fees. (Tried that once — mid, not worth it in the slightest.) What’s a girl gotta do around here to get a French onion soup in the convenience of her own home?

The only option was to take things into my own hands. I didn’t know a thing about making French onion soup, so I started doing some internet sleuthing to see how complex the task at hand might be. I instantly found the perfect Reddit thread. I’m pretty lazy, so this was about as far as my research took me. Julia Child's “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” okay, sold? I didn’t quite trust the online recipes that claimed to be hers, so I used a 14-minute video I found from a Facebook link of Julia Child making it herself. This is a private moment between Julia and me, no middlemen, thank you very much.

‍Here are my takeaways:

1. The overall process was much simpler than I had imagined. However, it takes longer than I anticipated because there are long waiting times between steps.
2. I’d consider most of the items pantry staples, so each time you really only need onions, cheese, and bread. Red wine is a pantry staple in this home.
3. Most recipes online call for white wine. Julia said white or red, but she used red, so I used red. I also much prefer red wine, and it seemed more fitting. I wasn’t exactly sure what to use because she used “California mountain red wine.” So I just added what I had on hand: some remnants of an Oregon pinot and a California red blend, and it tasted perfect?
4. The boxed beef stock was just fine. I don’t see myself making homemade stock anytime soon. I’ll lyk when I make the switch.
5. The wine, bay leaf, and sage were definitely necessary. I was a bit worried when I tried the broth with only the onions and stock. I want to try it with the cognac next time as well.
6. I made it in a singular pot because Julia did, but once I master this, I’ll be leveling up to the individual ramekins.
7. Julia said this recipe was for 6-8 people. Ok skinny. Two others and I finished it in one sitting. Take that information for what you will.

After making this a couple of times, the wine seems to make or break the recipe. This soup hasn’t hit the same since the first time I made it, but I used the random-est assortment of 2 different wines!!! So, I’m still searching for the perfect bottle.

Okay, let’s get into the steps:

Thinly slice 5-6 cups of yellow onions. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter to a Dutch oven or large oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add the onions to the pot, and evenly coat them in the oil and butter. Cover the pot and cook the onions for 20 minutes until tender. Then, mix 1/4 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt into the tender onions to help them brown. Continue to cook the onions, uncovered, over medium-high heat this time, for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the onions from burning. Once browned, stir 3 tbsp flour into the onions. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add 6 cups of beef stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add some essential French touches — 1 cup dry red wine, 1 bay leaf, and 1/2 tsp ground sage. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, make the croûtes. Cut a French baguette into 1-inch slices and lightly coat both sides with olive oil. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes on each side.

Once the soup has simmered for 30 to 40 minutes, you can optionally add a couple more French touches — 2-3 tbsp cognac and grated raw onion. Finally, it’s time for the gratinée. Add 1/4 cup of grated gruyere into the soup. Top the soup with the toasted croûtes. Cover the bread entirely in 1/2 an inch of grated gruyere and Parmesan cheese. Lightly coat the cheese with olive oil to help it brown. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Broil for 1 minute to brown the cheese.