French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO (2024)

This French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO is my all time favorite. The restaurant may be long gone but I’m so grateful this recipe was saved!

I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. While I was in my late 20’s I moved with my then husband to Raleigh, North Carolina where we lived for 10 years and had a family, our children Emily and Lauren. We moved from Raleigh to Denver, Colorado and have called Colorado home ever since. But home has lots of memories, including the one for this French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO.

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While I’ve been away from St. Louis for such a long time that I no longer call it home, it will always be my hometown and I’m not sure we ever get beyond some memories that resonate with us forever. Before any mention of food is the love I will always have for the St. Louis Cardinals. My dad and I were fervent fans and as a young teen I knew every player, every stat, every home game. I’ll die a Cards fan.

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My most recent trip down memory lane might be due to the fact that a St. Louis icon, Steak & Shake, just opened near me that I’ve been thinking of some of the memories that I have where food measures most predominantly.

One of my favorite memories has always been the French onion soup that was served at the Famous & Barr department store. St. Louis had two well known department stores. One was Famous & Barr and the other Stix, Baer & Fuller.

Both stores had restaurants in them and they always had great food; some of which is still synonymous for me with the city. My fondest memory from the downtown Stix store was a Gold Brick Hot Fudge Sundae but for myself and many other St Louisians…nothing is as reminiscent or as famous as this iconic French onion soup.

French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO (2)

My first job after college was with Western Electric (eventually AT&T) in an office building in Clayton, MO. It was sort of a mini downtown area but more upscale and I loved working there. The buildings weren’t as tall, the streets were immaculate, and I thought the shopping more to my tastes…and the restaurants too.

My friends and I would walk somewhere close most days to grab lunch and not a week went by that one of those trips wasn’t to the Famous & Barr store for this soup. How long ago; hmm, think lunch was about $1.25 – that long ago!

The soup was thick and rich, and came from the kitchen in a McCoy pottery brown drip soup bowl (similar to these) bubbling with melted cheese atop two slices of French baguette.

As the stores closed their restaurants, it was fortunate that many years ago the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published the recipe in their Food Section so fanatics of this soup could recreate their obsession at home!

French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO (3)

Famous Barr may be no more, but I’m grateful this recipe still exists. Although it is certainly edible the day it is made, it is well worth planning and letting it sit overnight so the flavors have time to meld together. I’m certain it’s one of the reasons this particular French onion soup is so stellar and remains coveted by residents of St. Louis, past and present, near…and far!

More French Onion Soups!

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  • French Onion Soup – Italian Style
  • French Country Short Ribs and Onion Soup
French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO (5)

French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO (6)

French Onion Soup from Famous and Barr

A truly iconic soup from St. Louis and the old Famous & Barr retail store.

4.57 from 50 or more votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dishes, Soups and Stews, Vegetables

Cuisine American, French

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 656 kcal

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds white onions medium size
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons paprika
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 96 ounces beef broth (3-32 oz containers)
  • 1 cup white wine
  • Salt to season
  • 1 loaf French Baquette (sliced)
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 16 ounces Gruyère cheese (can substitute Swiss which I often do)

Instructions

To Prepare the Soup

  • Slice the onions 1/8″ thick. Melt butter in a large pot and sauté the onions over low heat for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

  • Add seasonings; pepper, paprika and bay leaves. Mix well and saute on low for 2-3 minutes; stirring frequently.

  • Add 2/3 of the broth to the pot and stir well. And the flour to the remaining broth and mix thoroughly and then add to the pot, stirring in. Add wine and simmer 2 hours.

  • Refrigerate overnight.

To Serve

  • Turn on oven to broil.

  • Brush bread slices with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Lightly brown bread using the broiler watching very carefully so not to burn.

  • Heat soup on stove top.

  • Layer soup, then Parmesan toasted bread, then cheese in ovenproof bowls.

  • Broil until cheese melts; 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully!

  • Let cool for a couple of minutes before eating.

Notes

As iconic as this recipe is, I still made a couple of revisions. I like it better with the addition of some white wine and I eliminated one of the ingredients in the original recipe. It calls for Kitchen Bouquet which is basically a caramel coloring, an artificial ingredient. I never saw the need for it!

Some readers have asked for smaller portions. These proportions will produce half as much soup; follow same directions for cooking.

  • 2 1/2 lbs yellow onions
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
  • 1 Tbsp sweet Spanish paprika
  • 1 bay leaf, broken in half
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 6 cups prepared beef bouillon
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 8 oz Gruyere or Swiss cheese
  • 1/2 French Baquette
  • Olive Oil
  • Parmesan Cheese

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

French Onion Soup from Famous and Barr

Serving Size

8 Servings

Amount per Serving

Calories

656

% Daily Value*

Fat

31

g

48

%

Cholesterol

93

mg

31

%

Sodium

810

mg

35

%

Carbohydrates

63

g

21

%

Protein

27

g

54

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Calories

656

Keyword dinner, Famous & Barr, French, lunch, onion soup

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

From Famous and Barr Restaurant and found in the St. Louis Post Dispatch newspaper.

French Onion Soup from Famous & Barr in St. Louis, MO (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

What's the difference between French onion soup and onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

Is French onion soup good for you? ›

Well, you'll be pleased to know that french onion soup is, in fact, a highly nutritious choice. Onions, as part of the Allium family, contain Quercetin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and should not be overlooked as a vegetable when considering your daily 7-a-day.

Who makes canned French onion soup? ›

French Onion Soup - Campbell Soup Company.

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

What spices add depth to soup? ›

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.

What is the bowl called for French onion soup? ›

French onion soup is traditionally served in lionhead bowls, which are deep but not very wide porcelain bowls. Here are four reasons why these bowls are perfect: Plenty of soup. Even as the bread on top starts to soak up some of the soup, there's still plenty left underneath.

What broth is French onion soup made of? ›

This soup traditionally is made with beef stock, though sometimes a good beef stock can be hard to come by and expensive to make. If you use boxed stock, taste it first! If you don't like the taste, don't use it. (If you cook a lot of beef or beef roasts, save the scraps and freeze them to make a stock with later.)

Why do French people eat French onion soup? ›

The Onion Soup, a traditional and warming dish

It has even become a trendy dish that tourists are eager to try to experience French gastronomy. However, onion soup is in fact not part of French people's daily meals. It was originally meant to be eaten after a family reunion in the middle of the night to cure hangovers

What is the etiquette for eating French onion soup? ›

With such a soup, a knife is your friend, not your enemy. Using both the soup spoon and the knife, push the baked cheese against the rim of the cup or bowl and cut it gently with the knife. Once you've broken the cheese barrier, you can use the knife again to nudge bits of cheese onto the spoon.

What is a fun fact about French onion soup? ›

The soup became both the breakfast of the forts des Halles – the workers responsible for transporting the goods – as well as a hangover remedy for the party people leaving the cabarets of Paris late at night to go to the only district really nocturnal in Paris.

What is an interesting fact about French onion soup? ›

It is said that it was invented by none other than King Louis XV late one night at his hunting lodge when he was very hungry. When he only found onions, butter, and champagne in the pantry, he decided to use the three ingredients to make the French onion soup for the very first time.

How much is the French onion soup at Costco? ›

This $11 Costco Freezer Find Makes for the Perfect Holiday Season Appetizer. Laura Manzano is a recipe developer, food stylist, personal chef, and occasional writer living in Brooklyn. Her favorite food is all sandwiches.

Does Progresso make French onion soup? ›

Indulge in the familiar, comforting taste of Progresso Vegetable Classics French Onion canned soup. You'll love the sharp, rich flavors of onion and beef broth in every bite of French onion soup. Heat up the microwavable soup in minutes, and serve with crostinis or warm toast for an ultimate comfort food combo.

Does Campbell's French onion soup have onions in it? ›

INGREDIENTS: ONIONS, WATER, SHERRY WINE, ROASTED ONIONS, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: BALSAMIC VINEGAR, SALT, BEEF STOCK, POTATO STARCH, BUTTER (CREAM [MILK], SALT), BROWN SUGAR (SUGAR, INVERT SUGAR, MOLASSES), FLAVORING, SPICE.

How do you doctor up canned French onion soup? ›

Infusing the soup with a richer taste is as easy as quickly sauteing crushed garlic before pouring the soup in. Some soft, buttery garlic sauteed in earthy olive oil is the perfect addition to enrich canned French onion soup.

How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›

You could add red pepper chili flakes, cayenne, Herbs de Provence or curry powder for more flavors. The caramelized onions add a lot of depth to the soup but you could also add in tomato paste or even miso or soy sauce.

How do you get the depth of Flavour in vegetable soup? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

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