# French Onion Soup from 1651

This French onion soup recipe from 1651 is different from the modern version but still relies on the deliciousness of caramelized onions.

- Total time: 45 min
- Cuisine: French
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- onions
- butter
- milk
- baguette

## Instructions

1. Slice the onions.
2. Add butter to a pot and melt it.
3. Add sliced onions to the melted butter.
4. Cook onions very slowly for about 45 minutes or until they are a nice deep brown.
5. Slice a baguette.
6. Brush the baguette slices with butter.
7. Bake the baguette slices in the oven until toasted.
8. Pour milk into the pot with the caramelized onions and simmer.
9. Place a toasted baguette slice at the bottom of a soup bowl.
10. Pour the onion soup over the baguette slice.

## Equipment

- knife
- cutting board
- pot
- wooden spoon
- baking sheet
- pastry brush
- oven
- soup bowl
- ladle

## Tips

- The recipe uses milk instead of broth.
- It does not include Gruyère cheese.
- The toasted baguette sits at the bottom of the bowl under the soup.
- This recipe predates King Louis XV's supposed invention of French Onion Soup by 75 years, debunking that tale.
- While onion soups date back to ancient times, the French version has become famous today.
- It's an incredibly simple recipe with rich and complex flavors, making it easy to eat the whole pot.
- Full recipe is in the Tasting History Cookbook or on tastinghistory.com.
- Caramelized onions should be cooked slowly until a deep brown color is achieved.
- Make sure the onions are cooked in plenty of butter to achieve the desired caramelization and deep brown color.

## Source

- Original video: https://youtube.com/shorts/OMI0d9vbrjA?si=qBVgixuWwB5KvO-k
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/2b6de4dd-2f64-4cb9-bb5e-ae65eaca8285
- Extracted: 2025-06-30

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt