French Onion Soup
Step 0
A restaurant-style French onion soup that leans on patience, not meat. Long-cooked onions build sweetness and depth, while balsamic vinegar and tamari sharpen the broth into that classic savory, almost “meaty” taste. Top with a crisp, cheesy baguette if you want the full bistro vibe.
Step 1
Ingredients for French onion soup
- Extra virgin olive oil 6 tbsp (81 g)
- Yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced 1350 g
- Salt 1 tsp (6.1 g)
- Balsamic vinegar 1 ½ tbsp (23.9 g)
- Tamari or soy sauce 1 ½ tbsp (23.9 g)
- Fresh thyme, chopped 1 ½ tbsp (3.6 g)
- Garlic, minced 3 cloves (9 g)
- All-purpose flour 3 tbsp (23.4 g)
- Dry white wine 1 cup (235.2 g)
- Vegetable broth 6 cups (1326 g)
- Black pepper, ground 1 tbsp (6.9 g)
- Optional topping (not included in nutrition below)
- Baguette slices
- Gruyère cheese, aged cheddar, and/or Parmesan
- Fresh thyme
- Red pepper flakes, optional
Step 2
How to make the soup
- Caramelize, slowly. Warm olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, salt, and black pepper. Cook on low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are very soft and deeply golden. This usually takes about 60 min.
- Build the base. Stir in balsamic vinegar, tamari, thyme, and garlic. Scrape the bottom of the pot so the browned bits dissolve into the onions.
- Thicken gently. Sprinkle in flour, stir well, and cook for 2 min so it loses its raw taste.
- Wine, then broth. Pour in the white wine and cook 2 min. Add vegetable broth and simmer uncovered for 30 min.
- Optional cheesy toast. If using, bake baguette slices with cheese at 230°C / 450°F for 8–10 min until toasted and melted. Serve on top of the soup.
Storage: Refrigerate the soup (without bread) up to 2 days. Reheat on the stove. Toast the baguette fresh for best crunch.
Step 3
Health-oriented chef cues
- Big comfort, simple ingredients: This soup feels rich because the onions cook down slowly. You get a deep, cozy flavor without needing meat or cream.
- Salt is the main thing to watch: Broth and tamari can make the soup salty fast. If you want a lighter option, use a low-salt broth and add tamari little by little at the end until it tastes right.
- Make it a balanced meal: The soup base is mostly onions and broth, so it can feel light. To stay full longer, pair it with a protein side (for example, a boiled egg, some beans, tofu, chicken, or Greek yogurt) and maybe a side salad.
- Bread and cheese are “extras”: The cheesy baguette is delicious, but it adds a lot of calories and salt quickly. If health is the goal, keep the topping smaller, use less cheese, or skip it and add fresh herbs instead.
- Easy upgrade: add more plants: Stir in a handful of spinach at the end, add mushrooms, or top with extra herbs. You get more vitamins and volume without changing the flavor much.
- Leftovers tip: The soup tastes even better the next day. Reheat gently, then decide on toppings fresh so you stay in control of portions.
Important: The nutrition values shown in this post are for the soup base only.
Any baguette, cheese, or extra toppings are not included in the macro and micronutrient tables.
Nutrition facts and macros
Nutrition scope:
All values below are calculated for the French onion soup alone (per 100 g),
and exclude any cheesy baguette or extra toppings.
Macros & Calories
per 100 g (soup only)
Calories
55.8 kcal
- Saturates: 0.4 g
- Sugars: 2.5 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Salt: 0.6 g
See full macronutrient table (per 100 g)
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 233.6 kJ / 55.8 kcal | |
| Fat | 2.8 g | |
| Saturated | 0.4 g | |
| Monounsaturated | 1.9 g | |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.3 g | |
| Carbohydrate | 5.3 g | |
| Sugars | 2.5 g | |
| Starch | 0.7 g | |
| Fibre | 0.7 g | |
| Protein | 0.9 g | |
| Salt | 0.6 g | |
| Sodium | 247.83 mg |
Carbohydrates breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Total Carbs | 6.04 g | |
| Fiber | 0.72 g | |
| Starch | 0.75 g | |
| Sugars | 2.50 g | |
| Fructose | 0.74 g | |
| Glucose | 1.11 g | |
| Sucrose | 0.65 g | |
| Lactose | 0.00 g | |
| Maltose | <0.01 g | |
| Added Sugars | 0.24 g | |
| Sugar Alcohol | 0.07 g | |
| Net Carbs | 5.25 g |
Fat (lipids) breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 2.76 g | |
| Monounsaturated | 1.93 g | |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.32 g | |
| Omega-3 | 0.02 g | |
| Omega-6 | 0.27 g | |
| Saturated | 0.39 g | |
| Trans-Fats | <0.01 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Protein (amino acid) breakdown
| Amino acid | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 0.90 g | |
| Alanine | 0.03 g | |
| Arginine | 0.09 g | |
| Aspartic acid | 0.06 g | |
| Cystine | 0.01 g | |
| Glutamic acid | 0.16 g | |
| Glycine | 0.04 g | |
| Histidine | 0.02 g | |
| Isoleucine | 0.03 g | |
| Leucine | 0.04 g | |
| Lysine | 0.04 g | |
| Methionine | <0.01 g | |
| Phenylalanine | 0.03 g | |
| Proline | 0.04 g | |
| Serine | 0.03 g | |
| Threonine | 0.02 g | |
| Tryptophan | 0.01 g | |
| Tyrosine | 0.02 g | |
| Valine | 0.03 g |
Key Micronutrients
top 15 by % RI, per 100 g (soup only)
See full micronutrient table (per 100 g)
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 5.49 µg | |
| Vitamin C | 2.66 mg | |
| Vitamin D | 0.00 IU (≈0.00 µg) | |
| Vitamin E | 0.38 mg | |
| Vitamin K | 2.50 µg | |
| B1 (Thiamine) | 0.04 mg | |
| B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.03 mg | |
| B3 (Niacin) | 0.20 mg | |
| B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 0.09 mg | |
| B6 (Pyridoxine) | 0.07 mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.00 µg | |
| Choline | 3.80 mg | |
| Folate | 8.39 µg | |
| Calcium | 14.31 mg | |
| Iron | 0.27 mg | |
| Magnesium | 7.51 mg | |
| Phosphorus | 21.13 mg | |
| Potassium | 96.25 mg | |
| Zinc | 0.13 mg | |
| Copper | 0.04 mg | |
| Manganese | 0.13 mg | |
| Selenium | 0.44 µg | |
| Iodine | <0.01 µg | |
| Sodium | 247.83 mg | |
| Salt | 0.60 g |
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Caramelize the onions
Cook 1350 g thinly sliced onions in 6 tbsp (81 g) olive oil with 1 tsp (6.1 g) salt and 1 tbsp (6.9 g) black pepper until soft, then deep golden, about 60 min.
Step 2: Season and thicken
Stir in 1 ½ tbsp (23.9 g) balsamic vinegar, 1 ½ tbsp (23.9 g) tamari, 1 ½ tbsp (3.6 g) fresh thyme, and 3 cloves (9 g) garlic. Add 3 tbsp (23.4 g) flour and cook 2 min.
Step 3: Simmer the soup
Add 1 cup (235.2 g) white wine, cook 2 min, then add 6 cups (1326 g) vegetable broth. Simmer uncovered for 30 min.
Step 4: Optional cheesy baguette
Toast baguette slices with cheese at 230°C / 450°F for 8–10 min. Spoon soup into bowls and top if desired. Nutrition tables on this page are for the soup only.
French onion soup FAQs
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. Store the soup without bread in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove and toast baguette right before serving.
- Do the nutrition tables include the bread and cheese?
- No. The macro and micronutrient values are calculated for the soup base only. Any baguette or cheese topping is not included.
- How do I get a deeper flavor without beef stock?
- Push the onion caramelization further and use the vinegar plus tamari combo. It adds savoriness and a clean tang that makes the broth feel richer.
- How can I lower sodium?
- Use a low-sodium vegetable broth and reduce the tamari slightly. Taste at the end and adjust carefully, especially if you also add a salty cheese topping.
