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Closeup of a bowl of British onion soup.
Victoria Haneveer

British Onion Soup with Cider

Onions, leeks, apples and potatoes simmer with dry hard cider and stock in this British soup. Puree half for a thick broth with soft vegetable pieces, then finish with Gruyère and fresh thyme.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
 

For the soup
  • 75 g butter (About 2⅔ oz.)
  • 2 leeks (White parts only, washed and sliced.)
  • 1 kg yellow or white onions (About 2.2 pounds, peeled and sliced.)
  • 2 apples (Peeled, cored and sliced.)
  • 150 ml dry hard apple cider (About 5 fl oz.)
  • 2 large potatoes (Peeled and cut into small pieces.)
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1000 ml hot chicken or vegetable stock (About 4¼ US cups, plus extra if needed.)
  • salt and ground white pepper (To taste.)
For serving
  • 200 g Gruyère cheese (About 7 oz, grated.)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg (Optional.)

Equipment

  • Heavy pot with a lid
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kitchen scale
  • Box grater
  • Immersion blender or food processor
  • Food thermometer

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, onions and apples. Cook for about 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until tender. Lower the heat if the vegetables start to catch.
  2. Add the cider and potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the thyme sprig, bay leaves and hot stock. Season lightly with salt and white pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes and other vegetables are soft.
  4. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprig. Take the pot off the heat.
  5. Puree about half the soup, leaving some vegetable pieces intact. Use an immersion blender with the blade submerged. If using a food processor, let the soup cool as directed by its manufacturer before processing in small batches, then return the puree to the pot.
  6. Warm the soup through gently, stirring. Add extra hot stock if needed to reach the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the salt and white pepper.
  7. Divide among six serving bowls and sprinkle with the grated Gruyère and chopped thyme. Add a pinch of nutmeg if using.

Notes

Cups and ounces are approximate conversions; the metric quantities preserve the original recipe amounts. Allow extra cooling time if using a food processor.