French Onion Soup: Paris’s Ultimate Hangover Cure and Comfort Food

I totally want to call this the “ultimate guide to French Onion soup,” but it sounds a little crazy to bestow such a heavy name on such a simple soup. So, I am going to share what it is (mon Dieu, does anyone really not know what it is??!!), the history, how to make it (French onion soup recipes for traditional, vegetarian, and vegan), and, of course (bien sûr), where to find it in Paris! Why? Well, this soup is the ultimate comfort food, particularly in cold, rainy weather.

Heck. After a year like 2020, we need a giant vat of it!

The History of The Less-Than-Humble French Onion Soup

It's unlikely that you've lived this long without hearing about French onion soup. And no, not just because it's absolutely delicious. But because it is fairly mainstream, given that it is on the menus of many large franchise restaurants, most Americans have had at least one bowl of it in their lives, even if they don't eat it as frequently as they ought to.

This bowl of yummy goodness has a gloriously rich history, too.

There's nothing quite like a warm, hearty broth with onions, toasted bread or croutons, and a load of cheese — especially after a big night out. Most people can relate to this, but Parisians swear by it to cure their hangovers. Hence why the French onion soup became such a big deal to almost the entire world.

The idea of soup — i.e., a basic water and onion mix — dates back to prehistoric times. But there are two theories as to the origin of the French onion variant. Of course, I'm going to go over both of them (admittedly, I'll focus more on the second theory, since it is the more widely accepted).

The First Theory – Cheese, please

Of course, onion soup is ancient. A simple soup made with water and onion, with stale bread tossed in, is a poor man's meal that has been around for centuries. The oldest [documented] version of the soup dates back to the middle of the 17th century, but that soup was “just” a broth of onions and dried bread with a hint of acid from either capers or vinegar. But there was no cheese (which some would argue is essential).

We have to wait until the 19th century, when Stanislas Leszczyński (Marie Leszczyńska's father, the former king of Poland, and the current Duke of Lorraine) discovered the traditional French onion soup while on his way to Versailles. During his trip, he stopped at an inn called La Pomme d’Or. This inn was in the Champagne region, and the chef was the one-and-only Nicolas Appert. For those of you who aren't sure why that is a big deal, Monsieur Appert is the man who invented canned food. (There are plenty of things invented in France which would surprise you! Like the hairdryer, the bikini, and more!)

Anyway, Stanislas became instantly enticed by the smell coming from the kitchen in the inn. He asked to watch Nicolas Appert prepare the dish he was making. And voilà, the French onion soup was born. He shared the recipe – which included the addition of the all-important cheese with friends and family, and the rest is history. Monsieur Appert later included it in a recipe book in 1831 and named it after the duke.

I like this theory because a traveler discovered French onion soup!

Now, let's move on to the second theory, which has more merit, so you can decide which one you believe.

The Second Theory – Les Halles

As I mentioned previously, Parisians swear by French onion soup for curing their hangovers. Well, this tradition may well have started in 1135, when the Les Halles market was founded. Les Halles is the ancestor of Rungis, the biggest food market in Paris (well, actually, the biggest food market in the world), which is technically located outside of Paris (The 1970s saw it move to Rungis near the Orly airport). (It used to be impossible to visit, closed to the public, but now you can take a tour!)  The area of Les Halles still exists in Paris as a major shopping area in the 1st arrondissement (check out what else is in this arrondissement, considered the heart of Paris, although according to the famous French author Emile Zola, it is the belly).

But I digress!

King Philippe-Auguste founded the aforementioned food market, Les Halles, in 1135. Originally, it was a quaint yet basic outdoor food market. However, that didn't last for very long. It rapidly grew in popularity — and thus, size. Because of the unexpected growth, they had to build a wall between the market and the nearby Saint Innocents Cemetery.

Sadly, the wall wasn't quite enough.

It's said that, while the food market kept expanding and gaining in popularity, the cemetery became putrid. Rumor had it that it developed “flesh-eating” soil. This made anyone who was buried there decay in a few weeks.

By the time the 18th century rolled around, Louis-Sébastien Mercier had a different opinion on this apparently magical cemetery. He believed that the cemetery was actually damaging the health and overall welfare of the entire neighborhood. According to him, all the food was spoiling in people's houses within a few hours.

In other words, the cemetery was causing many people to go hungry.

When the 19th century hit, the city was forced to do something that most people today would find abhorrent — move the bones. Yep, the cemetery had to up sticks and move to the Catacombs (which you can visit and hear the history about while staying in Paris). This meant there was enough space for the food market, Les Halles, to expand. (By the way, here are some great photos of the market you can find on Flashbak.)

The market continued growing and finally took up around 25 acres. Yep, it was massive! It ended up being the go-to place for people from all over. Everyone, from the rich to the poor, was drawn to this thriving, pantry-like market. As you might imagine, not everyone could afford everything that was sold at the market.

Generally, Paris's poorest people would participate in harlequins. These were plates filled with leftover food from banquets (hmm, might that be the original doggy bag and why there has been such a stigma (pre-COVID) around takeout?). They got this name because they were multi-colored, thanks to the layers of food piled on. The main courses, starters, and desserts were placed on a single platter and given to those who could afford it, and nothing else. 

However, if you could afford to pay a bit more for your market delicacies, you would visit a soup seller. You'd receive a piping hot cup of soup that was, to tell you the truth, pretty watery. The color was wonderfully rich, though, thanks to the burned onions or carrots.

And that is the second theory! Soups made in France have relied on onion soup as their flavor backbone for years. Because of this, it is really hard to figure out precisely when the French onion soup we all know and love came into being. The possibility that onion soup was a “thing” before both these theories is far more likely. 

To be totally honest, it does not matter when French onion soup came into being. It definitely gained popularity thanks to the recipe used by vendors at the Les Halles market and by the surrounding restaurants (namely Chez Baratte and Pied de Cochon).

You're probably wondering, “What did they do differently?” Well, they added the main event — gratinée.

What Is Gratinée?

Onion soup — in other words, the soup of the poor — was traditionally made with a simple broth, onions, bread, and beef jus. However, the higher-end restaurants around the market added a generous amount of grated cheese and popped the bowls under a broiler. This created the much-loved Gratinée des Halles or French onion soup.

Before the move to Rungis, manual laborers working at the market and in the surrounding area would eat this soup for breakfast (so not necessarily your typical French breakfast). In addition, it was used as a hangover cure for those who had a fun night at the various cabarets in Paris. Gratinée des Halles seems to be an elixir for all, regardless of your class or social status.

Restaurants that used to serve French onion soup in the early hours for those going home from an amazing night out and those just starting work started to open at regular times and serve meals during the day instead.

No matter, French onion soup is just as brilliant at any time of day. And, you can still find it on Pied de Cochon's menu, attracting tourists and locals alike.

Where to get the best French Onion Soup: Paris

By now, you've got the gist of French onion soup. You just need to head to Paris to try some (don't worry, I don't blame you!). Here are a few of the best places to get French onion soup or Gratinée des Halles.

Au Pied De Cochon – the original

Yep, by far the best place to try this Parisian delicacy is Au Pied De Cochon, the restaurant where it all started. To this day, it's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can get your fill whether it's 4 in the morning or 4 in the afternoon. Its menu is centered on everything pig (you even get a pink, pig-shaped macaron with your bill at the end!).  

What I love about this restaurant is that despite its long history and tourist attraction status, the food is actually good, meaning not overrated, although I do think it is overpriced. They do stay true to the French onion soup recipe; they use its tried and tested. Having said this, it's worth noting that some chefs working at this restaurant don't always get it quite right. At times, it's a little oily. 

Location in Paris: 6 Rue Coquillière (1st arrondissement).
Note: Au Pied de Cochon has historically been open around the clock, but now it is open from 8 AM to 5 AM, practically the same, but not quite 24 hours.

Top-rated spots for French Onion Soup in Paris

• La Poule au Pot, 9 Rue Vauvilliers (1st arrondissement), Chef Jean François Piège’s spot, often named among the very best bowls in Paris
• La Jacobine, 59 Rue Saint-André des Arts (6th arrondissement), a cozy classic that current Paris guides recommend
• Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie, 34 Rue Montmartre (1st arrondissement), regularly serves some of the best onion soup in Paris, rich broth under a deep cheese crust
• La Grille Montorgueil, 50 Rue Montorgueil (2nd arrondissement), a classic zinc bar bistro that makes its beef and veal stock in-house
• Le Bistrot des Fables, 139 Rue Saint-Dominique (7th arrondissement), a well-seasoned, beefy version with a great cheese crust, near the Eiffel Tower
• Chez René, 14 Boulevard Saint-Germain (5th arrondissement), a traditional bistro since 1957, known for a consistent, classic bowl

Other great locations to get French Onion Soup

• Au Père Louis, 38 Rue Monsieur le Prince (6th arrondissement)
• Bistrot des Vosges, 31 Boulevard Beaumarchais (4th arrondissement)
• Brasserie Flottes, 2 Rue Cambon (1st arrondissement)
• Centre Vavin, 18 Rue Vavin (6th arrondissement)
• La Rotonde, 105 Boulevard du Montparnasse (6th arrondissement)
• Le Bouillon Pigalle, 22 boulevard de Clichy (18th arrondissement)
• Le Terminus Nord, 23 rue de Dunkerque (10th arrondissement)
• Marcel et Clémentine, 74 Rue de Dunkerque (9th arrondissement)

Is French Onion Soup Good for You?

So is French onion soup actually good for you, or is it a guilty pleasure? The honest answer is that it lands somewhere in the middle, and a lot depends on whether you are eating a restaurant bowl or a homemade one.

The good parts. Onions are among the best dietary sources of quercetin, an antioxidant linked to reduced inflammation and improved heart health. The broth is hydrating, the soup is naturally fairly low in calories before the toppings, and a homemade cup can come in around 100 calories with a nice hit of protein. For something that tastes this indulgent, that is not bad at all.

The catch. Sodium is where French onion soup can get away from you. A restaurant bowl often carries 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of sodium, which is a big chunk of the roughly 2,300 milligram daily limit most health bodies suggest. The bubbling cheese cap and buttery croutons add saturated fat on top. None of that makes it bad for you in moderation, but if you are watching sodium or saturated fat, the homemade version with low-sodium broth and a lighter hand on the cheese is the way to go.

Is French Onion Soup Good When You Are Sick?

Yes, French onion soup can be genuinely comforting when you are under the weather, and there is a little science behind the old wives' tale. The warm broth hydrates you and can soothe a scratchy throat; the onions provide anti-inflammatory compounds that may ease congestion, and the salt helps replace what you lose when you are running down with a cold.

Two caveats: onions can be hard on a sensitive stomach in large amounts, and the sodium in restaurant versions is high, so a lighter homemade bowl is the friendliest choice when you are ill. Think of it as a cousin to the classic bowl of chicken soup, just with a very French accent.

Andi’s note: Parisians have sworn by onion soup as a next-morning cure for a big night out for well over a century. Whether it truly fixes a hangover or just feels wonderful going down, I am happy to keep testing the theory.

French Onion Soup Recipe – How to Make it at Home

This soup is simple and pretty easy to make. I am not a recipe blogger, so I am going to share a few recipes I have tried, but first, just to illustrate how simple the soup is, let me list the ingredients!
And if you want even more ideas, I rounded up a whole collection of French soups (see my 25+ French soup recipes).

French Onion Soup Ingredients:

• LOTS of yellow onions. They shrink when they caramelize.
• Beef stock.
• Cheese.
• Bread or croutons.
• Thyme

A word on the cheese. If you are going for the full French version of this recipe, you would use Comté, a French cheese. If you don't care, then you can use the Swiss version, Gruyère. In addition, I've seen it made with another Swiss cheese, Emmental. In the U.S., many people eat “Swiss” cheese, a mild cheese (not necessarily from Switzerland) with holes. 

Favorite French Onion Soup Recipes

• The mother of all classics! Julia Child & Jacques Pépin – French Onion Soup. (I love Julia!)
• The Modern Proper
• Damn Delicious
• My friend Christina's Cucina

Making a vegetarian French Onion Soup

Making a vegetarian version of French onion soup is EASY, all you have to do is change out the beef stock for vegetable stock. All the other ingredients are vegetarian-friendly.

Love & Lemons has a great vegetarian recipe if you need some guidance.

Making a vegan French Onion Soup

For a vegan French onion soup, the substitutions are pretty straightforward. Olive oil for butter (you can use vegan butter, of course); veggie broth, vegan cheese, and vegan French bread (recipe from Holy Cow Vegan). I think when you are doing a vegan version, fresh thyme is super important.

Simple Veganista has a wonderful recipe if you need guidance.

So that's it. More than you ever wanted to know about a very simple soup. I am guessing you are a little like me, so you are fascinated by the origins of food. I think with the speed of life these days, we don't always take the time to reflect on what we are eating, to savor the ingredients, and appreciate the history. We all enjoy comfort food, and it is comforting for a reason.

I like the definition that Wikipedia provides:

Comfort food is a kind of food that nostalgic or sentimental value to someone, and may be characterized by its high caloric nature, high carbohydrate level, or simple preparation.

French onion soup is simple and holds strong nostalgic value for me. As a Francophile, I love its rich history; I can appreciate its roots and why Parisians traditionally go for it after a long night out. I love soup on a cold day, who doesn't? And it always reminds me of my mother, who loves the soup as well.

How about you? Are you a fan of French Onion soup? Have you had it before? Where? Have you made it at home? Had it in Paris? Do share!

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