Homemade Cream Of Onion Soup Recipe

We tend to take onions for granted, but just try to imagine life without them. They serve as the starting point for so many great recipes, from soups to stir-frys to roasts and beyond. Indeed, there are countless dishes that commence with the cooking of onions. In most cases, the humble Allium cepa blends in beautifully with the other ingredients, though its own unique and delightful flavor may be all but lost along the way.

Well, not this time. Instead, the onion is finally getting its due via a homemade cream of onion soup. And it's about time, too. "This one is a goodie," says chef, recipe developer, and registered dietician Kristen Carli of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness. "It's onion-forward and super creamy [and] one of my favorite soups ever."

It may well become one of your favorites, too, and not only because it tastes great. This soup is quite easy to make and uses ingredients you may well have on hand or can easily find at any grocery store. The prep will take you all of 10 minutes and the cooking is mostly hands-off. The soup is a great starter for a large dinner (Thanksgiving, anyone?) and can also be paired with a simple side to make a hearty meal itself. 

Need an idea there? "I would pair this with a sandwich, ideally a turkey and cranberry, for a hearty lunch," Carli suggests.

For a batch of this soup big enough to serve four people, you're going to need a lot of onions. For this recipe, you'll need three pounds of onions, ideally classic yellow onions that have been diced. As for the other ingredients, you will need to procure a stick of unsalted butter, dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried oregano, chicken broth, heavy cream, and fresh chives for garnish.

When it comes to the hardware necessary for this recipe, that's all pretty simple stuff. To make the soup, you'll need a knife and cutting board, a large pot, a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, and an immersion blender. If you don't have one of those (sometimes otherwise known as a hand blender), you can use a regular blender (though we really recommend getting an immersion blender if you can). If you go that route, just make sure to process the hot soup in small batches and make sure that the lid is on tight, all for your own safety.

Once the onions are cooked all the way through, add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, and the chicken broth. Stir everything together well and continue to cook the soup for 15 minutes at a simmer.

Now remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup well. You may also a regular blender and work in batches, being careful not to splash yourself with the hot soup. Next, add the heavy cream and stir well. You can even keep using the blender to mix everything. And just like that, it's time to ladle out bowls and serve them with freshly chopped chives sprinkled on top.

Any extra soup left over? No problem. "This keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days," Carli says, and it "reheats well in the microwave. Just be sure to give it a good stir [before reheating]."