Learn how to make a restaurant-worthy gluten-free french onion soup with my easy no-fail recipe. Don’t let the simple list of ingredients fool you. This homemade, classic soup is bursting with rich, robust flavor, despite using only basic kitchen staples. It all starts with my method for golden brown, caramelized onions that are never dry or burnt!
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Easy Homemade French Onion Soup Made Gluten-Free!
I created this recipe for gluten-free French onion soup because, quite honestly, I was sick of the food envy. In pre-gluten free days, if it was on the menu, I was ordering it. After creating my current carb obsession, crusty, soft gluten-free baguettes, I checked another dish off the list I could enjoy again.
My GF french bread has brought me back to fresh, vibrant panzanella salads, toasty garlic gluten-free crostini, and perfect bites creamy Swiss fondue. I couldn’t wait to dig in and create the ideal bowl of traditional French onion soup.
I know a lot of us have tasted it, but if you haven’t made this classic, brothy masterpiece before it can be pretty deceiving. First of all, the ingredient list looks simple enough. To make this as part of my homemade gluten-free soup collection, the broth should be safe for a GF diet.
Also, many French onion soup recipes include a bit of thickener. To make the recipe gluten-free, I experimented with both gluten-free all purpose flour and sweet rice flour, both working well. Although the soup isn’t necessarily “thickened,” this helps add a little body and viscosity to the soup.
But the real magic lies in the onions. And by magic, I mean time. Honestly, making this soup is easy, but don’t mistake easy for quick. From start to finish, cooking down the onions to a bonafide, legit caramelized state takes about 1 hour.
I know. How can it possibly take that long to cook onions?! And how can they be cooked that long without burning?! I got you. I’m going to walk you through my method to make caramelized onions like a boss. Let’s do this.
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Ingredient Tid Bits
- Onions – I recommend using a sweet onion, such as Vidalia. They have a higher natural sugar content and mellow flavor, which is key for the best caramelized onions. You’ll need 3 pounds, which is about 5 large.
- Broth – There’s not a lot of extra seasoning in this soup, so you’ll want to make sure you have a great-tasting gluten-free beef broth or stock. I use Costco’s organic beef stock.
- Gluten-free French bread – I use my homemade recipe, which is linked in the recipe card below, but if you’d like to save yourself some time, scroll down for quicker sub-ins.
- Gruyere – Key for classic French onion soup. It can be a little pricey, especially for a great Swiss variety, but Aldi usually stocks it pretty affordably.
- Dry sherry – I already know what you’re thinking. Do I really need to buy sherry just for a tablespoon? Yes. It adds that essential burst of umami and signature taste. Good news, though. You can pick up a cooking sherry in your local grocery store and it’s cheap!
- Wine – This is another ingredient I don’t recommend swapping out unless necessary. Use a dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Start with the magic – perfect caramelized onions
Okay, to make the best version of gluten-free French onion soup, this is where you’ll devote most of your time. First, grab a bowl and slice all those onions pretty thin. I store my onions in the fridge for the sole reason I don’t cry as much when I slice them. Not. a. single. tear.
To a large pot (about 5 quarts) melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir everything to combine, then cover and them cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. This releases a lot of moisture, also known as “sweating,” which prevents burning during the long cook time.
After that, it’s all about time, but virtually no effort. Start a timer for 45 minutes. For the first 25 minutes, stir occasionally, about every 5. After that browned bits will start to settle on the bottom of the pan. Scrape those up into the onions, giving them a nice deep, rich color.
Check out the pics below for what they should look like at every stage. If they are cooking too fast, lower the heat slightly. You can also add a bit of water or broth to keep the onions loose and moving if too much moisture has cooked off.
Add the final flavors
The “hard” part is done! Add in the splash of dry sherry (what I use is pictured below, or you can get the fancy stuff at the liquor store) and white wine. Let it come to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook down.
Stir in the gluten-free thickener, GF flour or sweet rice flour, then add in the broth. That’s it. For the simple list of ingredients, once you take a taste you won’t believe the outrageous flavor!
Best part – bread and cheese!
While the broth is heating through, slice the baguette and lay on a baking sheet. Turn on the broiler and toast each side about 2 minutes per side. Set those to the side until you are ready to serve.
When it’s go time, freshly grate the gruyere, arrange the oven-proof bowls or crocks on the baking sheet, ladle in soup, arrange 2 bread slices on top, and then aggressively top with cheese. Great French onion soup is all about how long that cheese pull is!
Return to the broiler for about 2 minutes and finally it’s time for some heavenly bites.
Making French onion soup is easy, but it does require some time. If you want to make this ahead, I’ve cooked the onions before and stored them in airtight container up to 3 days. Also the soup can be prepared, cooled completely and refrigerated in large glass jars or frozen until ready to serve.
What are my options for gluten-free baguettes?
My recipe for homemade gluten-free French bread can be made in under a hour and makes two loaves, so I generally have one ready to go in the freezer. If you don’t feel like making from-scratch bread, though, you have some quicker options.
My favorite store-bought brand is Schar, which I can find at my local grocery store. If you can’t find their baguettes, they also make ciabatta or sandwich rolls, which would work well. Although you could use GF sandwich bread, the slices are a little thin and would get lost in the soup.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Bistro-Style Gluten-Free French Onion Soup (Easy)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 pounds Vidalia (sweet) onions , about 5 large, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1½ tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour , or sweet rice flour
- 6 cups gluten-free beef broth
- 1 loaf gluten-free french bread
- 8 ounces gruyere cheese, freshly grated
Equipment
- Oven-safe soup crocks
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, sugar, and pepper. Stir until well coated with butter and seasonings and then cover. Cook for 5 minutes, undisturbed.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 pounds Vidalia (sweet) onions , 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Uncover and continue to cook until the onions are deeply brown, which will take about 45-50 minutes. Stir occasionally at first, but after about 25 minutes, stir more frequently, about every 5 minutes. There will be browned, sticky bits at the bottom of the pan you'll want to scrape up and work into the onions (gives them flavor and nice browned color). If they become overly browned or dry as they cook, add a dash of water and continue cooking.
- Add the wine and sherry. Let it come to a boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.1 cup dry white wine, 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- Stir in the flour and then slowly add in the broth. Heat until simmering.1½ tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour , 6 cups gluten-free beef broth
- Meanwhile, slice the baguette into 3/4-inch slices and lay on a baking sheet. Position an oven rack in the top-third position and toast the bread for 2 minutes. Flip, and toast the other side for 2 more minutes.1 loaf gluten-free french bread
- Position the oven-safe crocks to the baking sheet and fill with soup. Lay two baguette slices on top and sprinkle generously with cheese. Return pan to the oven to broil, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.8 ounces gruyere cheese
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Delicious!
Thanks, PJ!
Melissa
Great recipe!
Oh yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Georgina! Thanks so much for taking a second to let me know.
Best,
Melissa