Description
Rich and decadent, this creamy onion soup is the ultimate comfort food. It pairs beautifully with a simple green salad or toasted bread topped with melted Gruyère.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lb (900 g) yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil or duck fat
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups (946 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 oz (28 g) cornstarch
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Crusty bread or toasted baguette slices, for serving
- Chopped chives or caramelized onion slivers, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the confit onions: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine sliced onions, olive oil or duck fat, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45–60 minutes, until the onions are soft, sweet, and translucent but not browned. Remove the herbs and set the confit aside.
- In a separate saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Lower the heat and add the confit onions and heavy cream.
- Simmer gently for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or in batches until smooth and velvety.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then strain through a fine chinois or mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth texture.
- Return the soup to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry.
- Whisk the slurry into the hot soup and cook over low heat for about 10–15 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
- Serve hot with toasted baguette slices or crusty bread on the side.
- Garnish each bowl with chopped chives or a spoonful of caramelized onion confit.
Notes
- Confit onions are slowly cooked in fat until silky and sweet — they’re what give the soup its depth.
- Keep the heat low while cooking the onions to prevent browning.
- Duck fat adds richness, but olive oil works perfectly well.
- This soup pairs beautifully with a simple green salad or toasted bread topped with melted Gruyère.
- Leftovers can be blended again and used as a sauce for chicken or roasted vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 60