I recreated the Nordstrom French Onion Soup, featuring a rich, decadent broth loaded with caramelized onions and crowned with toasted bread and melty cheese.
I didn’t expect Nordstrom French Onion Soup to hit me like that the first time I tried it. The caramelized yellow onions bring this slow sweet thing that sneaks up on you, and then the molten Gruyere cheese makes each spoonful a little dramatic.
People call it Best Ever French Onion Soup but that label almost feels like an understatement, cause it’s messy and bold and not trying too hard. I kept eating without thinking, just watching the cheese stretch and wondering why I ever settled for less.
If you like surprises, this one will make you pause and really taste it.
Ingredients
- Onions: Sweet earthy low calories some fiber and vitamin C caramelize for deep sweetness
- Butter: Adds creamy fatty richness mostly saturated fat boosts mouthfeel use modestly if worried
- Olive oil: Heart friendly fats extra flavor helps saute contains monounsaturated fats and antioxidants
- Beef stock: Rich in umami and protein salty base choose low sodium warms the bowl
- Gruyere: Melts beautifully adds savory nutty protein and calcium high in saturated fat
- Baguette: Crunchy bread rounds soak broth provide carbs and fiber if whole grain usually refined
- Garlic: Tiny but punchy adds aroma and immune friendly compounds little calories
- Thyme: Herbs like thyme brighten flavor add negligible calories aroma makes soup taste fresher
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 large yellow onions (about 3 pounds), thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry, if you got it
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional but good)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 to 8 cups beef stock or beef broth, low sodium preferred
- 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
How to Make this
1. In a large heavy pot melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, add 6 thinly sliced yellow onions (about 3 lbs), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, toss to coat — this helps the onions brown evenly.
2. Cook the onions low and slow, stirring every few minutes for about 40 to 50 minutes until they are deep golden brown and sweet, lower the heat if they start to burn, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom as you go.
3. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves for the last minute, then turn heat up to medium-high and pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping the fond until the liquid is reduced by about half.
4. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce if using, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3 thyme sprigs, and 1 bay leaf, then pour in 6 to 8 cups low sodium beef stock, bring to a simmer and cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes so flavors marry; taste and adjust salt if needed.
5. While the soup simmers, preheat your oven broiler (or oven to 450 F), slice 1 baguette into 1/2 inch rounds, brush or rub lightly with butter or oil and toast the rounds on a baking sheet until golden on both sides so they wont go soggy under the cheese.
6. Grate 2 cups Gruyere and 1/2 cup Parmesan (optional) finely so it melts evenly, mix together and set aside.
7. If you have ovenproof bowls, ladle the hot soup into them, place 1 or 2 toasted baguette slices on top of each bowl and pile on the cheese mixture; if your bowls are not ovenproof, use a rimmed baking sheet and ovenproof dishes to finish under the broiler.
8. Place bowls on a baking sheet under the broiler and watch carefully until the cheese is melted, bubbly and golden, usually 2 to 4 minutes, rotate if needed so it browns evenly.
9. Remove from oven, discard the bay leaf and any thyme sprigs, let cool a couple minutes (cheese will be molten), sprinkle a little extra pepper or Parmesan if you like, then serve.
10. Tips: use a wide pot for faster caramelization, dont rush the onions or they wont develop that deep flavor, and always keep an eye under the broiler because cheese goes from perfect to burned fast.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy-bottomed wide pot (Dutch oven or big soup pot) for caramelizing onions and simmering.
2. Sharp chef’s knife for thinly slicing onions.
3. Sturdy cutting board, preferably roomy so the onions dont spill everywhere.
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir and scrape up the fond.
5. Measuring cups and spoons for butter, oil, wine and seasonings.
6. Box grater or microplane for grating Gruyere and Parmesan finely.
7. Rimmed baking sheet for toasting the baguette and holding bowls under the broiler.
8. Ovenproof bowls or small ovenproof dishes/ramekins to finish the soup with cheese.
9. Ladle and oven mitts to serve safely when the soup is hot.
FAQ
NORDSTROM CAFE’S FRENCH ONION SOUP Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Unsalted butter: use 4 tbsp olive oil or 4 tbsp ghee instead; if you use salted butter, cut back on the added salt a bit.
- Dry white wine/sherry (1/2 cup): sub with 1/2 cup extra beef stock plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice for acidity, or use non alcoholic white wine.
- Beef stock: swap for low sodium vegetable stock plus 1 tbsp soy sauce or 1 tsp miso to add umami, or use low sodium chicken stock if needed.
- Gruyere cheese: use Emmental, Comte, Jarlsberg or a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan for a milder, budget friendly option.
Pro Tips
1) Be patient with the onions, its worth it — keep the heat moderate and stir often so they brown evenly, and if they start steaming instead of caramelizing let some moisture cook off or split them into two batches if the pot is crowded.
2) Deglaze and concentrate the flavor: let the wine or sherry reduce until almost syrupy so the alcohol cooks off and the sugars concentrate, and if the soup needs a lift a teaspoon of sherry vinegar or a splash of balsamic at the end brightens things up without adding salt.
3) Make the bread and cheese foolproof: toast the baguette extra well so it wont go soggy under the melted cheese, rub each slice with a cut garlic clove for subtle flavor, and grate your own Gruyere not the pre shredded stuff so it melts smooth and glossy.
4) Do as much ahead as you can: caramelized onions freeze great so cook a big batch and reheat with stock when you want the soup, and always broil on a rimmed baking sheet while watching like a hawk because cheesy tops go from perfect to burned in seconds.
NORDSTROM CAFE'S FRENCH ONION SOUP Recipe
I recreated the Nordstrom French Onion Soup, featuring a rich, decadent broth loaded with caramelized onions and crowned with toasted bread and melty cheese.
6
servings
518
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy-bottomed wide pot (Dutch oven or big soup pot) for caramelizing onions and simmering.
2. Sharp chef’s knife for thinly slicing onions.
3. Sturdy cutting board, preferably roomy so the onions dont spill everywhere.
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir and scrape up the fond.
5. Measuring cups and spoons for butter, oil, wine and seasonings.
6. Box grater or microplane for grating Gruyere and Parmesan finely.
7. Rimmed baking sheet for toasting the baguette and holding bowls under the broiler.
8. Ovenproof bowls or small ovenproof dishes/ramekins to finish the soup with cheese.
9. Ladle and oven mitts to serve safely when the soup is hot.
Ingredients
-
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1 tablespoon olive oil
-
6 large yellow onions (about 3 pounds), thinly sliced
-
1 teaspoon kosher salt
-
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
-
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry, if you got it
-
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional but good)
-
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3 sprigs thyme
-
1 bay leaf
-
6 to 8 cups beef stock or beef broth, low sodium preferred
-
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
-
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
-
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
- In a large heavy pot melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, add 6 thinly sliced yellow onions (about 3 lbs), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, toss to coat — this helps the onions brown evenly.
- Cook the onions low and slow, stirring every few minutes for about 40 to 50 minutes until they are deep golden brown and sweet, lower the heat if they start to burn, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom as you go.
- Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves for the last minute, then turn heat up to medium-high and pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping the fond until the liquid is reduced by about half.
- Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce if using, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3 thyme sprigs, and 1 bay leaf, then pour in 6 to 8 cups low sodium beef stock, bring to a simmer and cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes so flavors marry; taste and adjust salt if needed.
- While the soup simmers, preheat your oven broiler (or oven to 450 F), slice 1 baguette into 1/2 inch rounds, brush or rub lightly with butter or oil and toast the rounds on a baking sheet until golden on both sides so they wont go soggy under the cheese.
- Grate 2 cups Gruyere and 1/2 cup Parmesan (optional) finely so it melts evenly, mix together and set aside.
- If you have ovenproof bowls, ladle the hot soup into them, place 1 or 2 toasted baguette slices on top of each bowl and pile on the cheese mixture; if your bowls are not ovenproof, use a rimmed baking sheet and ovenproof dishes to finish under the broiler.
- Place bowls on a baking sheet under the broiler and watch carefully until the cheese is melted, bubbly and golden, usually 2 to 4 minutes, rotate if needed so it browns evenly.
- Remove from oven, discard the bay leaf and any thyme sprigs, let cool a couple minutes (cheese will be molten), sprinkle a little extra pepper or Parmesan if you like, then serve.
- Tips: use a wide pot for faster caramelization, dont rush the onions or they wont develop that deep flavor, and always keep an eye under the broiler because cheese goes from perfect to burned fast.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 350g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 518kcal
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.3g
- Monounsaturated: 6.7g
- Cholesterol: 62mg
- Sodium: 877mg
- Potassium: 333mg
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 18g
- Vitamin A: 600IU
- Vitamin C: 18mg
- Calcium: 337mg
- Iron: 1.7mg