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French Onion Soup with Croutons and Cheese

Discover the perfect French Onion Soup with a Southern twist! Sweet onions, crusty croutons, melty mozzarella, and rich flavors make this cozy recipe a must-try for comfort food lovers.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Food Recipes, Main Course, One Pot, One Pot Dishes, Slow Cooker, Soup
Cuisine American, Southern

Equipment

  • 1 large soup pot or slow cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pounds sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp Badia Complete seasoning
  • 3 tbsp beef cooking base
  • 2 tbsp sautéed veggie cooking base
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 64 oz water
  • Deli bread croutons
  • 1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions
 

  • Step 1: Tender Loving Onions: Start by melting that rich, golden butter in a large, deep pot over medium-low heat. Toss in your sweet onions and let them take their time, softening and releasing all their natural sugars. We’re not rushing here; this is Southern-style patience, y’all. Stir occasionally and let them get beautifully tender and just a touch golden.
  • Step 2: Build the Flavor: Once those onions are looking lovely, stir in the minced garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire, white pepper, sea salt, Badia Complete, and cornstarch. Add just a splash of water to create a smooth, velvety base and let those seasonings work their magic. Your kitchen’s gonna smell like pure heaven at this point.
  • Step 3: Bring It Together: Pour in the rest of the water, then stir in the beef base, veggie base, bay leaves, and white wine. Give it all a good mix and let the pot settle into a nice, slow simmer on low heat. This soup needs at least an hour for the flavors to meld together into that deep, savory goodness we’re going for.
  • Step 4: Serve It Southern Style: When the soup is ready, ladle it into sturdy bowls. Top each bowl with a generous handful of crusty deli bread croutons and a heaping pile of shredded mozzarella cheese. That cheese is gonna melt right over the croutons like a dreamy, gooey blanket. If you’ve got a broiler handy, pop the bowls in for a minute or two to get a bubbly, golden top—but it’s just as delicious without!