Name: Gluten Free French Onion Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons butter; 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling); 3 large yellow onions (sliced not too thin, not too thick (8 cups)); salt; 1 Tablespoon gluten free flour; 1/2 cup dry white wine (like pinto grigio or sauvignon blanc); 1 Tablespoon gluten free worcestershire sauce; 4 cups gluten free beef broth or stock; 2 cups gluten free chicken broth or stock; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 4 slices hearty gluten free bread; 4 slices swiss cheese; 4 oz shredded gruyere

Gluten Free French Onion Soup is a cinch to make at home! All you need is a little bit of time, plus fridge and pantry staples.

French Onion Soup is a classic that's a cinch to make gluten-free at home. All you need is a little bit of time and some fridge and pantry staples. | iowagirleats.com

French Onion Soup is one of my very favorite soups (hello, melted cheese lid) and I’ve been wanting to develop and share a gluten-free version for years. That said, most gluten free breads would almost instantly dissolve inside the savory, hot broth underneath said cheese lid.

Solution: heavily toasted hearty bread.

Outcome: EPIC Gluten Free French Onion Soup.

Soup season is saved!

Homemade Gluten Free French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup at home is the perfect weekend soup as it takes a couple hours to make, but all you’re doing during that time is stirring every 10-15 minutes.

The result is a luxurious, velvety soup that has endless layers of flavor on account of simmering caramelized onions in a mixture of wine, beef broth, chicken broth, and fresh thyme.

Crispy croutons made from hearty gluten free bread are layered on top of the soup in oven-proof crocks before they’re blanketed in both swiss and gruyere cheese and broiled until golden brown and bubbly.

I make this soup on game day when I’ve got nowhere to be but home. Stir a little, sip and taste often, then enjoy gluten free comfort food in a bowl!

How to Make this Recipe

Step 1: Caramelize the onions.

Start by heating butter and extra virgin olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch Oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sliced yellow onions and salt then cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Remove the lid then continue to cook for an 1 – 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 10-15 minutes, or until the onions are tender and caramelized. Some recipes will have you caramelize the onions until they’re chocolate brown, but I like a medium-caramel color on mine.

Recipe Tip

I typically use vidalia onions when caramelizing onions but recommend yellow onions for this soup as the sweet ones are just a touch too sweet in the final dish.

Step 2: Thicken the soup.

Turn the heat up to medium-high then sprinkle in gluten-free flour and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Add gluten free worcestershire sauce and dry white wine then cook for another minute or two.

Recipe Tip

Opt for a crisp, dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, over an oaky chardonnay or sweet riesling or moscato wine.

Step 3: Simmer the soup.

Last step is to add gluten-free beef broth, gluten-free chicken broth, a bay leaf, and fresh thyme then turn the heat up to bring the soup to a boil.

Turn the heat back down to medium-low then gently simmer for 1 hour, stirring and scraping the fat off the top occasionally.

Step 4: Make the croutons.

There are 2 important steps to the bread-portion of Gluten Free French Onion Soup:

Pick a HEARTY gluten free bread, vs GF white bread. I like a grain and seed-type bread.
Slice the bread into cubes then bake until dry and crunchy.

Toss the cubes with extra virgin olive oil and salt then spread out on a parchement paper or silpat-lined half sheet pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 14-15 minutes, stirring once, or until the cubes are golden brown and crunchy.

Step 5: Assemble and broil.

Ladle the soup into 4 oven-proof bowls then top each with a quarter of the croutons and swiss cheese. Fill in the holes with grated gruyere cheese then place the crocks onto the sheet pan you used to make the croutons and broil until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve immediately.

Nothing better than digging into the golden brown cheese lid to get to the croutons and luscious onion soup below. I hope you love this gluten-free take on the classic – enjoy!