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French Onion Soup with Gruyère Crust

French Onion Soup with Gruyère Crust reads umami 8.2, richness 5.2 and salinity 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a French main, about 1 hr 38 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.2 · Richness 5.2 · Salinity 5.2 · Sweetness 5.1 · Nutty 4.0 · Allium 2.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.8 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Fruity 1.3 · Earthy 1.3 · Sourness 1.1 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 0.9 · Citrus 0.8

What's in it (14)

• unsalted butter — 54 g
• yellow onions — 1361 g
• salt — 5 g
• granulated sugar — 2 g
• garlic — 9 g
• dry sherry — 59 g
• all-purpose flour — 15 g
• low-sodium beef broth — 1893 g
• soy sauce — 30 g
• thyme — 2 g
• bay — 2 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
• baguette — 100 g
• gruyere — 227 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 38 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 57.5 kcal, 3.2 g protein, 3.3 g fat, 6.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions wilt and release their liquid, about 15 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the sugar, and continue cooking, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the onions are deeply golden-brown and jammy, 45-55 minutes; lower the heat further if they threaten to scorch before they turn color.
3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Pour in the sherry, scraping up any remaining browned bits, and simmer until the liquid has nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell is gone, about 2 minutes.
6. Whisk in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the soup thickens slightly and the flavors meld, 20-25 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, then stir in the pepper and season with additional salt to taste.
7. Arrange the baguette rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden on both sides, 1-2 minutes per side; set aside.
8. Ladle the soup into 6 oven-safe bowls set on a rimmed baking sheet, top each with a round of toasted bread, and cover generously with the grated Gruyère, letting the cheese mound over the rim of the bowl.
9. Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and browned in spots, 2-3 minutes; let cool for a minute before serving, since the cheese cap holds heat.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Yaki Udon — Japanese
• Beef Lo Mein — Chinese-American
• Korean-Style Marinated Skirt Steak With Grilled Scallions — Korean
• Gong Bao Chicken (Gong Bao Ji Ding) — Chinese · Sichuan
• Beef Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Vegetables — Japanese

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.