French Onion Soup Recipe: Rich, Classic and Keto Friendly

There is something timeless about a bowl of French onion soup. Slowly softened onions, rich beef broth, fresh thyme, white wine and Worcestershire sauce create a deep, savory broth, while toasted French bread and melted Gruyere turn it into the comforting classic everyone loves.

This recipe from my cookbook, The Balanced Plate: Healthy Recipes with Keto Alternatives, keeps all of those traditional flavors while also giving you a simple keto friendly option when you want to reduce the carbohydrates.

Classic French Onion Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour. Servings: 6.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 5 onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 half inch slices French bread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

How to Make French Onion Soup

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and saute until softened, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat and add the salt. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until the onions are deeply caramelized.
3. Add the garlic and deglaze the pan with the white wine.
4. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the broiler with the rack close to the heat source. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet, brush both sides lightly with olive oil and broil for about 1 to 2 minutes, flipping once.
6. Arrange oven safe soup bowls on a baking sheet. Remove the bay leaves and divide the soup among the bowls.
7. Place the toasted bread on top, finish generously with Gruyere cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling and beautifully golden. Serve immediately.

Keto French Onion Soup Option

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that the soup itself can easily fit into a lower carb meal. For the keto friendly version, omit the French bread or substitute your favorite keto bread.

One tip from my cookbook: without the bread acting as a base, the melted cheese may sink slightly into the soup. That is perfectly fine and still delicious.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Each serving contains 416 calories, 32 grams of total fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 10 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, 91 milligrams of cholesterol and 12 grams of protein. The net carbohydrate count is 9 grams per serving.

The nutritional information in The Balanced Plate is calculated using the keto alternatives, so these numbers reflect the keto version of the recipe rather than the traditional version served with French bread.

What Makes a Great French Onion Soup?

The onions are the heart of this recipe. Giving them enough time to soften and caramelize develops the rich flavor that makes French onion soup so distinctive.

Gruyere is another important component. Its rich, nutty flavor and beautiful melting quality create that irresistible golden cheese topping. Combined with beef broth, thyme, wine and Worcestershire sauce, it turns a handful of simple ingredients into an incredibly satisfying soup.

More Recipes from The Balanced Plate

This French onion soup is one of the comforting soup recipes featured in my cookbook, The Balanced Plate: Healthy Recipes with Keto Alternatives. The book features more than 100 recipes with nutritional information and keto alternatives, making it easy to prepare traditional dishes while adapting them to a lower carb lifestyle.