Fuss-free French onion soup with cheesy bread

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, a steaming bowl of tasty soup can work wonders when it comes to comforting you and leaving you feeling full and satisfied. But if you’re looking for something that ticks all of those boxes, while also seeming more sophisticated than your standard bowl of tomato soup, you won’t be able to resist this tasty French Onion variation.

While caramelising the onions can be a tedious process – it really is worth it in the end. However the main secret to this soup is getting a stock that you truly enjoy the flavour of, as buying a subpar stock will lower the entire flavour of the dish – so don’t be afraid to spend a bit more to reap the flavourful benefits!

Ingredients

• 60g butter, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 (1kg) brown onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 4 cups beef style liquid stock
  Cheesy Bread
• 12 baguette bread slices, each 1.5cm thick
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese

Method

1. Heat butter and oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat until sizzling. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 45 to 50 minutes or until onions are very soft. Stir in brown sugar and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until onions caramelise.
2. Add flour to saucepan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock and 2 cups water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to allow flavours to combine.
3. Meanwhile, for the cheesy bread, preheat oven to 180C. Spray both sides of bread with oil. Rub both sides of bread with garlic. Arrange bread on 2 baking trays. Bake, turning once, for 10 to 12 minutes or until bread is light golden. Sprinkle cheese over 1 side of bread. Return to oven for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese melts.
4. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cheesy bread, season with pepper and serve.