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This French onion soup for one is rich, flavorful, and perfectly portioned. Sweet caramelized onions simmer in a savory broth, then it’s topped with a slice of toasted French bread and melted Gruyère cheese for a classic, comforting finish.
Featured Comment
“This is fabulous! The recipe takes right steps and time to develop flavors and it really shows in the final dish.”
– Flynn
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Made with one onion and a few basic pantry staples.
- Rich and Comforting: Caramelized onions, savory broth, and melted Gruyère in every bite.
- Bistro Flavor at Home: Enjoy classic French onion soup without the restaurant price.
- Easily Doubles: Make two servings by doubling the ingredients.
What I love about this French Onion Soup for one is how it turns the simplest ingredients into a rich, satisfying bowl. Slowly caramelized onions simmer in a flavorful broth, then the soup is topped with toasted bread and melted cheese.
It’s the kind of meal that feels comforting and a little indulgent, without being complicated or time-consuming. When I want something warm and flavorful that feels like a treat, this is the recipe I turn to.
Pair your French onion soup with a crisp brussels sprouts salad, baked chicken thighs, or crustless quiche lorraine. For dessert, add a mini lemon cake. Want more soups? Browse our full collection of single serving soup recipes?
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch French Onion Soup recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder
- Butter: Adds richness and is used to sauté the onions.
- Onion: Use a small yellow onion, thinly sliced for even caramelization and natural sweetness.
- Garlic: One clove adds subtle depth without overpowering the soup.
- Seasonings: A mix of dried thyme, salt, and black pepper balances and enhances the flavor.
- Red Wine: Deglazes the pan and adds depth. You can substitute with chicken or beef broth if preferred. Leftover wine? Use it in coq au vin for one, beef stew for one, or red wine sangria.
- Flour: Slightly thickens the soup. Use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Broth: I prefer chicken broth for a cleaner flavor. Beef broth is traditional but can taste metallic if store-bought.
- Homemade French Bread and Cheese: A slice of crusty bread topped with melted Gruyere completes the soup. Gouda, Swiss, Fontina, or Mozzarella are great alternatives. Use extra bread and cheese in an open-faced croque madame.
Recipe Variations
Here are some delicious ways to customize your French Onion Soup:
- Vegetarian Version: Use vegetable broth instead of beef or chicken broth. Add a splash of soy sauce or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce for a richer flavor.
- Wine-Free Option: Skip the red wine and deglaze the pan with broth for a flavorful, alcohol-free alternative.
- Heartier Soup: Add thin slices of cooked beef or shredded chicken to turn your soup into a filling, complete meal.
How To Make French Onion Soup
These photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make a single serving of French onion soup. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Caramelize the Onions
- Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized.
Tip: Take your time with the onions—caramelizing slowly over medium heat brings out their natural sweetness and builds the rich flavor this soup is known for.
- Deglaze with Wine
- Pour in the wine and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the wine evaporates, about 5 minutes.
- Thicken the Soup
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the flour from burning.
- Simmer with Broth
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
- Let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepping The Bread
While the soup simmers, get your bread ready to top off the dish.
- Broil the Bread
- Heat the broiler. Place the slice of French bread on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle Gruyere cheese generously over the bread.
- Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Serve
- Place the cheesy bread in a soup bowl and pour the hot soup over it. Enjoy immediately.
Expert Tips
- Slice Onions Thinly: Thin, even slices caramelize more evenly and ensure every spoonful of soup has tender, flavorful onions.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Patience is key when caramelizing onions. Cooking them over low to medium heat allows their natural sweetness to develop fully without burning.
- Gruyere Cheese: Gruyere melts beautifully and delivers the classic nutty flavor that defines French Onion Soup. If unavailable, try Gouda, Fontina, or Mozzarella.
- Selecting the Best Broth: Beef broth is traditional, but store-bought varieties often have a metallic taste that can overpower the soup. Chicken broth provides a more balanced, mild flavor and works wonderfully in this recipe. If you’re aiming for a vegetarian version, high-quality vegetable broth is another excellent option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yellow onions are the best choice for their natural sweetness, but you can use white onions or even red onions if needed.
You can substitute the wine with additional broth. Wine adds depth and richness, but the soup will still taste great without it.
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat.
RELATED: Single Serving Comfort Food Recipes
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serve French onion soup recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
French Onion Soup For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small yellow onion -halved, then thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic -chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 thick slice French bread
- ¼ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Add Flour for Thickening: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to coat evenly. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the flour from burning.
- Simmer the Soup: Stir in the broth and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Prepare the Cheese Bread: While the soup simmers, heat the broiler. Place the French bread slice on a baking sheet, sprinkle Gruyere cheese on top, and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Assemble and Serve: Place the toasted cheese bread in a soup bowl. Pour the hot soup over the bread and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Slice Onions Thinly: Thin, even slices caramelize more evenly and ensure every spoonful of soup has tender, flavorful onions.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Patience is key when caramelizing onions. Cooking them over low to medium heat allows their natural sweetness to develop fully without burning.
- Gruyere Cheese: Gruyere melts beautifully and delivers the classic nutty flavor that defines French Onion Soup. If unavailable, try Gouda, Fontina, or Mozzarella.
- Selecting the Best Broth: Beef broth is traditional, but store-bought varieties often have a metallic taste that can overpower the soup. Chicken broth provides a more balanced, mild flavor and works wonderfully in this recipe. If you’re aiming for a vegetarian version, high-quality vegetable broth is another excellent option.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I substituted garlic powder for the cloves and used broth made with beef bouillon cubes in place of red wine and chicken broth. (2 cubes with 2-3 cups of water.) Turned out really nice. If you’re broke like me and don’t have the french bread and cheese, the soup itself still tastes good.
This is delicious! I used red wine and beef broth. Loved the Gruyere toasts on top! This made plenty for two big bowls!
Getting ready to make this right now! French onion soup is one of my very favorites…next to Potato Leek! Thanks for sharing!
Made this today for lunch– tasted great and was exactly what I was craving. The recipe was easy to follow and the result was so good I almost wish I had leftovers!
Terrific recipe.
This was decadent and delicious. Thanks for the recipe! I made a few tweaks: deglazed pan with an aged balsamic vinegar, substituted Italian seasoning for the thyme (because I didn’t have any thyme on hand), and used shredded mozzarella cheese for the bread.
This tasted amazing!
This is delicious and so easy. I’ve been experimenting. My husband and I have enjoyed all the variations.
The first time I made it, I used chicken broth and left out the wine. Terrific flavor!! This is my favorite so far.
The next time I used Better than Boullion beef flavor and no wine. Also very good. My husband liked this one.
Tonight I made it with the beef flavor and wine. Also, very good. Husband liked this, too.
Next time, I want to make it with chicken broth and wine, the way the original recipe is written.
This is a winner, no matter what. Easily doubled and makes plenty for two with leftovers.
This is fabulous! The recipe takes right steps and time to develop flavors and it really shows in the final dish. I subbed mushroom broth for the chicken broth for a vegetarian version and cut back on salt elsewhere, since it was not a reduced sodium broth. Super delicious!
This recipe is very similar to a regular-serving sized recipe I’ve been using and love. I substituted beef broth and thought it was delicious. It made enough for 2 servings: one for lunch today and the rest tomorrow. It’s the perfect size. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup recipe, Barbara. Thank you.
Had some delicious beef broth left over from a family Sunday roast beef dinner and made your recipe. SO SO satisfying and delicious with just a simple salad. Leftovers made gourmet. Thanks again Joanie
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you, Cherie.
I don’t drink any alcohol, is it ok to leave out the red wine or is there something I use in its place?
Use 1/4 cup of broth instead of the wine.
Another win! I made this as part of my Christmas dinner and was so happy with the result. I actually sauteed my onions for about 1.5 hours, but mostly because I was using a stainless steel pan for the first time and was afraid of burning them! (I didn’t!!!) And I use a beef broth concentrate made by Savory Choice that comes in little packets that make 1 cup per packet. So handy and (I think) very tasty. Thanks again Joanie for sizing all these meals for singles. This was delicious!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup, Beth. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I was a little skeptical about this recipe, but I love this soup so much I decided to give it a try. Wow! I used to enjoy this soup in a national chain restaurant, but have not been able to go during the pandemic. This soup is perfect for me. I found that using the crust of a regular sandwich bread held up just fine. Thanks Joanie!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup, Mary. Thank you so much for your feedback.
It was so good I used a cheap box wine but it still was so delicious. It was for one but there was enough for my husband also which loves it also thank you!!
I’m so glad you both enjoyed the soup. Thank you for your feedback.
I made this today with madeira for the wine (all i had) and better than buillion organic beef stock. omg. it was delicious! I doubled it cause even tho i am one person I knew I would want another serving in the next two days. Thank you so much for your work here, it is changing the way I cook and eat!!
Thank you, Kassie. I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes!
QCan your one-serving recipes be doubled for two? I need to include my husband. Most of the recipes on Pinterest are for at least four people, and we aren’t that good at eating leftovers. A two-serving meal would be perfect.
Hi Jean,
Most of the recipes on our site can be doubled with great success.
Joanie
I’m so glad I found your site. I have been a widow for many years but can never seem to be able to make dishes for just one or two. As a result, like several others, I end up eating the same thing for 3 or more days. This is just what I’ve been looking for. I love it !!! Thanks so much.
Thank you so much for your kind note, Elaine. I’m so happy you found our site and hope you find many new recipes to try.
I make this every cold winter evening. So delicious!
I’m so happy you like the recipe, Linda. Thank you for letting me know.
Seriously love this recipe!
Our whole family loved this soup!
I am a senior citizen who lives alone. I am hungry for chicken paprikash and cabbage rolls, how do I cut these recipes down so I am not eating them for 3 days? I have been alone for 13 years and at times, to get the flavor I want, I end up cooking like I was back with my family when I was growing up, cooking for a family of 7 that all ate at least seconds. In all these years I have only made one decent pot of chili and ate it for days. I know you can freeze it, but, it never tastes the same to me. If you have a formula to cut down recipes, I hope you will share it.
Hi Jackie, I’m so happy you found our site and I hope you find many new recipes to try. I love cabbage rolls too and would love to work on creating a small batch cabbage roll recipe. Hopefully we will have one on the site for you soon.
I too have been a widow for over 20 years and love to cook. I share a lot of things I make with neighbors but getting too expensive. I also love this blog and I would love to have cabbage rolls for 2. It sometimes is easy enough to 1/2 a recipe but your recipes make it so much easier. Looking forward to many more delicious recipes.
Thank you, Teresa. I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes.
Joanie
I made this but doubled it for two and this recipe is a definite winner hands down !!! Thank you so much !!!
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting me know that you enjoyed the recipe, Marci.
French onion soup is a family favorite here, but I’d never think to make it just for myself. I’m anxious to try your recipe and make it one day just for me!
I’ve been dying to try french onion soup and this has convinced to make it!
Lauren
This is one of my favorites, and I NEVER make it at home! I need to change that and your single-serve recipe is perfect for that! This looks so good, and I can’t wait to try it!
What a gorgeous, tasty looking soup! So perfect for cozy fall and winter evenings. This recipe’s a keeper!
This looks absolutely amazing! I really need to give this a try and it’s perfect because I’m really the only one in my house that likes soup!
Wow, I am SO DANG HAPPY I stopped by tonight! This looks absolutely incredible, and I love that I finally have a soup recipe I can make without having 3 weeks worth of leftovers.
French Onion soup is one of my favorite! I’m the only one in my house who likes it so I only get it when I go to a restaurant. Thanks to you now I can make it at home just for me.
French onion soup is one of my absolute favorites! And this recipe looks AMAZING! xx
Beautiful recipe! Isn’t it funny? I don’t like onions at all, but I love french onion soup!! haha I think its the raw onions that mostly turn me off. Love your post!
This soup looks amazing and I love your pictures…so amazing!
Valerie
This is my husband’s favorite soup. He always orders it when we go out and I have never attempted to make it at home…..until now. Thank you so much for breaking it down for me. I can’t wait to try it!!
I love french onion soup so much!
French onion soup is a fantastic Fall meal… going to make this soon!
One of my most favorite soups EVER!