I present French Onion Soup for One with slowly caramelized onions, a deeply flavorful broth, and a slice of French bread crowned with melted cheese.

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I always thought a bowl could change a mood, and my French Onion Soup For One does that in a weird, stubborn way. It’s not the full dinner party thing, it’s a private, almost dishonest little indulgence.

Caramelized notes from a yellow onion and that melty grated Gruyere cheese sitting on bread hint at something more, like a secret recipe someone’s grandmother refused to share. I call it my Easy French Onion Soup Recipe Simple fix for nights when you want comfort without fuss.

Try it once and you’ll understand why I keep coming back, even when I say I wont.

Ingredients

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Onion: caramelizes into sweet, adds fiber and natural sugars, gives soup big flavor.
Butter: gives rich mouthfeel and fat, helps brown onions, makes soup silky, not healthy.
White wine: brightens the broth, cuts richness, adds acidity and subtle fruity notes.
Beef stock: gives deep savory backbone, some protein and minerals, very umami, hearty.
Gruyere: nutty, melts beautifully, adds protein and calcium, makes crust ooze and golden.
Baguette: toasts crisp in butter, soaks broth, adds carbs and chew, pure comfort.
Thyme: tiny leaves, herbal lift and aroma, low calories, balances sweet and beefy flavors.

Ingredient Quantities

1 large yellow onion (about 10 to 12 oz / 300 to 350 g)

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp granulated sugar (optional)

1/4 cup dry white wine or 1 tbsp dry sherry (optional)

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef stock or broth

1 small bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1/2 tsp all purpose flour (optional)

1 slice baguette or French bread, about 1/2 inch thick

1/2 cup (about 50 to 60 g) grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp butter for toasting the bread (optional)

small handful chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Slice the onion thinly, grate the cheese, slice the bread about half an inch thick, and have your bay leaf and thyme ready; preheat the broiler if you plan to melt the cheese under it.

2. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil over medium low heat; add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and the optional 1 tsp sugar if you want faster caramelization.

3. Cook the onion slowly, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet smelling, about thirty to forty minutes; if it browns too fast turn the heat down and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.

4. If using, pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine or 1 tbsp dry sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping any stuck bits, and let the alcohol cook off for a minute or two.

5. Sprinkle the optional 1/2 tsp flour over the onions, stir and cook a minute, then add 1 1/2 cups beef stock, 1 small bay leaf, 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme, and the optional 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.

6. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it cook uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes so flavors meld, then taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig before serving.

7. While the soup simmers, toast the bread: melt the optional 1 tsp butter in a small skillet and toast the slice until golden, or under the broiler for a minute or two.

8. Ladle the hot soup into an ovenproof bowl or ramekin, float the toasted bread on top, and pile the 1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss evenly over the bread.

9. Place the bowl under the preheated broiler and melt the cheese until it is bubbly and lightly browned, about one to three minutes, watching closely so it does not burn; or use a hot oven if you don’t have a broiler.

10. Carefully remove, garnish with a small handful of chopped parsley if you like, let rest a minute so it wont scald, then enjoy your rich French onion soup for one.

Equipment Needed

1. Sharp chef’s knife, for thinly slicing the onion
2. Cutting board
3. Small heavy bottomed saucepan (like 1 to 1.5 qt)
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula, for stirring the onions often
5. Box grater or microplane, for grating the Gruyere or Swiss
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Ovenproof bowl or small ramekin (safe under the broiler or in a hot oven)
8. Small skillet or baking sheet, for toasting the bread and holding the bowl under the broiler
9. Ladle and oven mitts, for serving and safety when handling hot bowls

FAQ

Q: How long should I caramelize the onion?
A: Plan on about 25-35 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring now and then until the onion is deep golden and sweet. If you rush it by turning up the heat you'll just burn them, not caramelize. A teaspoon of sugar helps if your onions arent very sweet.

Q: Can I skip the beef stock and make it vegetarian?
A: Yes, use a good vegetable or mushroom broth for rich flavor, and replace Worcestershire (it usually has anchovies) with soy sauce, tamari, or a vegan Worcestershire. For cheese, pick a vegetarian-friendly Swiss style or use a plant-based meltable cheese.

Q: Do I have to use white wine or sherry?
A: Nope. The wine just adds acidity and depth. If you dont have any, add a splash of red or white wine vinegar, a little extra Worcestershire or 1/4 tsp balsamic, then adjust salt and pepper to taste. Work with what you got.

Q: How do I keep the bread from getting soggy under the cheese?
A: Toast the baguette slice first in a pan with 1 tsp butter or under the broiler until golden, then float it on the soup and top with cheese. Broil just long enough for the cheese to melt and bubble, watching closely so it doesnt burn.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it?
A: Yes. The soup (without bread and cheese) keeps in the fridge 2-3 days and freezes fine for up to 2 months. Reheat gently, then add toasted bread and broil the cheese right before serving.

Q: What's the purpose of the 1/2 tsp flour and is it required?
A: The tiny bit of flour helps slightly thicken the broth and gives the soup a silkier mouthfeel, but it's optional. You can skip it or stir in a small cornstarch slurry at the end if you want thicker soup.

French Onion Soup For One Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Beef stock or broth: swap for vegetable or mushroom broth. Use the same 1 1/2 cups, but add about 1/2 tsp soy sauce or a tiny splash of balsamic to get that meaty depth, it’s surprisingly close.
Gruyere or Swiss cheese: use Fontina, Comté, or a sharp cheddar if you like a bolder flavor. Same amount, just grate it fine so it melts smooth.
Dry white wine or dry sherry: skip alcohol and deglaze with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar diluted with 2 tbsp water, or 1 tbsp lemon juice plus 2 tbsp water. Gives the acid lift without boozy flavor.
Baguette slice: use a slice of sourdough, Italian bread, or a gluten free slice of similar thickness. Toast with the 1 tsp butter or a little olive oil so it holds up under the cheese.

Pro Tips

1. Be patient with the onions, seriously. Cook them low and slow till theyre deep golden not just pale, stir often and if they start to char turn the heat down or add a splash of water to scrape up the browned bits, thats where the flavor lives.

2. Taste and control the salt late. Use low sodium beef stock if you can, season at the end after the wine and reduction so you dont over salt, and if the soup tastes flat a tiny splash of Worcestershire or a pinch of sugar will wake it up.

3. Prep the bread so it stays crisp. Toast the slice until its really golden and firm before you float it on the soup, brush it with a little butter or rub a cut garlic clove on it for extra flavor, this stops it from going mushy under the cheese.

4. Grate your own cheese and watch the broiler. Pre-grated stuff can be powdery and doesnt melt the same, grate the Gruyere fine and pile it on, then broil very close and watch like a hawk because it goes from perfect to burnt fast.

French Onion Soup For One Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I present French Onion Soup for One with slowly caramelized onions, a deeply flavorful broth, and a slice of French bread crowned with melted cheese.

Servings

servings

Calories

330

kcal

Equipment: 1. Sharp chef’s knife, for thinly slicing the onion
2. Cutting board
3. Small heavy bottomed saucepan (like 1 to 1.5 qt)
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula, for stirring the onions often
5. Box grater or microplane, for grating the Gruyere or Swiss
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Ovenproof bowl or small ramekin (safe under the broiler or in a hot oven)
8. Small skillet or baking sheet, for toasting the bread and holding the bowl under the broiler
9. Ladle and oven mitts, for serving and safety when handling hot bowls

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion (about 10 to 12 oz / 300 to 350 g)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp granulated sugar (optional)
1/4 cup dry white wine or 1 tbsp dry sherry (optional)
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef stock or broth
1 small bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp all purpose flour (optional)
1 slice baguette or French bread, about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup (about 50 to 60 g) grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp butter for toasting the bread (optional)
small handful chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

Slice the onion thinly, grate the cheese, slice the bread about half an inch thick, and have your bay leaf and thyme ready; preheat the broiler if you plan to melt the cheese under it.
In a small heavy bottomed saucepan heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil over medium low heat; add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and the optional 1 tsp sugar if you want faster caramelization.
Cook the onion slowly, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet smelling, about thirty to forty minutes; if it browns too fast turn the heat down and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.
If using, pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine or 1 tbsp dry sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping any stuck bits, and let the alcohol cook off for a minute or two.
Sprinkle the optional 1/2 tsp flour over the onions, stir and cook a minute, then add 1 1/2 cups beef stock, 1 small bay leaf, 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme, and the optional 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
Bring to a gentle simmer and let it cook uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes so flavors meld, then taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig before serving.
While the soup simmers, toast the bread: melt the optional 1 tsp butter in a small skillet and toast the slice until golden, or under the broiler for a minute or two.
Ladle the hot soup into an ovenproof bowl or ramekin, float the toasted bread on top, and pile the 1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss evenly over the bread.
Place the bowl under the preheated broiler and melt the cheese until it is bubbly and lightly browned, about one to three minutes, watching closely so it does not burn; or use a hot oven if you don't have a broiler.
Carefully remove, garnish with a small handful of chopped parsley if you like, let rest a minute so it wont scald, then enjoy your rich French onion soup for one.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.