Recipe for French Onion soup

Ah! The glorious, rich burst of savoury sweetness!

Someone requested for the recipe of the French Onion soup that I posted on my Twitter page, so here it goes! The idea of making French Onion soup again came from The Boyfriend as my first attempt was an utter failure since it tasted like diluted stir-fried onions. We concluded that the reason was because I used chicken stock cube granules dissolved in water instead of chicken broth. Thus, this time round, we used chicken broth in a can instead. This recipe is a result of our guess and check cooking method and it turned out to be very flavourful and delicious. It is truly of restaurant standard, if we say so ourselves!

Anyway, I hope you guys will try and let me know if it tastes good! It is not very difficult to attempt but the results are really tasty. Here are the simple ingredients:


4 big yellow onions, halved and sliced
3 garlic cloves, diced
Salt and pepper, to your liking
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 can of chicken broth
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry wine (which we omitted due to budget constraints)
1 tablespoon of thickened cream or lightly whipped cream
1 teaspoon mixed or Italian herbs

Sliced bread
Parmesan / Mozzarella cheese

Slice the onions into strips by peeling the skin off and cutting it into half and then, strips. For easy caramelisation, cut the onions beforehand and stick them into the fridge or freezer for half an hour first. This breaks down the cell structures and allows the onions to caramelise faster. Dice the garlic after peeling off the skin and cutting off the ends.

Prepare the non-stick pan with butter that is slowly melting on low-medium heat. Sprinkle sugar over the melting butter and pour in the onions while spreading them out. Coat onions thoroughly with sugar and.butter and wait for some time for the caramelisation to take place before stirring or flipping the onions over again.

You will start to smell a sweet onion smell and that should tell you when you should turn the onions. Continue caramelising the onions until they have sweated and are light brown and tender on both sides. Add in the garlic and saute for a while more, until the garlic are slightly browned and fragrant. Add in the balsamic vinegar and sherry. Stir and allow the favours to infuse the onions. Add the can of broth and half cup of hot water.

Stir well to scrape off the browned juices around the bottom and sides of the pan for a fuller flavour. Simmer and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer a thicker soup, pour some plain flour or corn starch that has been dissolved in a spoonful of water. Alternatively, you can let it simmer to your preferred thickness.

French Onion soup with Tokpukki (Korean fried rice cakes)

Cut the bread into slices and sprinkle Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese (or a mixture of both) on top. Pop into the oven until the cheese starts to melt. Scoop the soup into bowls, place the cheese bread atop the soup and top with the Mixed or Italian herbs and a dollop of cream. Tadah! Your tummy French Onion soup is done! The onions should be a little sweet and savoury while being super tender. The bread should be crispy and gooey at the same time. The cheese marries so well with the tart, savoury goodness of the creamy soup. Enjoy and let me know how did yours turn out! You can also try adding in some diced mushrooms or leeks for a different taste.

What is your absolute favourite soup that sweeps the cold and frost away and brings the warmth into your soul?