We’ve put together a list of cheeses that go well with French onion soup with options like provolone, gruyere, fontina, and more. French onion soup is a national favorite in France but it’s also become a favorite by the rest of the world. This is the kind of soup we look for whenever it’s cold or whenever we simply want something comforting and light.
French onion soup was created in Paris in the 18th century. This very special soup which is considered “restaurant food” has come a long way since its birth.
Classic French onion soup is made up of caramelized onion, beef broth, bay leaves, white wine, and thyme. If you review that list of ingredients again, you’ll realize how incredibly French it is. It’s such a delicious and simple soup that it has become one of France’s national treasures – at least that’s what we think.
French onion soup was introduced to the United States in 1861, New York City, where else? Since then, this delectable soup has become such a gem to the Americans. Not only is it a favorite in France and the U.S., but plenty of fine dining restaurants serve a delicious bowl of French onion soup to impress their patrons at the beginning of meals.
French onion soup is typically topped with cheese and it is broiled until the cheese melts on the slice of bread under it, over the onion soup itself.
The most common type of cheese to put on top of a classic French onion soup is provolone and gruyere. We’ve created a list of cheeses that go well over a delightful bowl or cup of French onion soup.
Table of Contents
1. Provolone
Provolone is the cheese of choice when it comes to thinking about the best kind of cheese to serve French onion soup with. Provolone comes in different varieties but our favorite is provolone dolce. It’s a milder version of provolone with creaminess, saltiness and sweetness to it. It’s a great cheese to melt and it’ll demand your attention without overpowering the flavor of the French onion soup.
2. Gruyere
Who doesn’t know what gruyere is? It’s only one of the best Swiss cheeses out there! Gruyere is a sharp and delicious cheese with some nuttiness to it. Not only does it taste great but it melts so well too. If provolone isn’t available, gruyere is usually our next cheese to replace it with. Gruyere is perfect to top that tiny piece of bread with. If you want a more stringy experience, sprinkle a little bit of mozzarella with it too.
3. Fontina
Fontina cheese tastes nutty, mild, slightly herbaceous, and milky. Fontina is great in sandwiches but it’s greater in sandwiches as melted cheese. Fontina makes a delicious topping for French onion soup together with another nice melty cheese like mozzarella cheese. Fontina shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to choosing the perfect cheese to top this special soup with.
4. Mozzarella
Mozzarella is a mild cheese that is often paired with carbohydrates like bread and pasta. We love this cheese so much because it is mild in flavor and it melts so well with the matching stringy cheese effect. If you want your French onion soup to be a little more melty and stringy, it’s nice for you to combine mozzarella and provolone together for excellent flavors.
5. Monterey Jack
Monterey Jack is an all-American cheese that is often used in sandwiches and well, anything with bread in it. It’s also great in a luscious macaroni and cheese dish. Monterey Jack tastes mild, tangy, and buttery in flavor. It’s very nice to pair with bread because it stands out and it melts very well too, just the characteristic you need to add to French onion soup. We love using Monterey Jack as a substitute for the original cheeses used for French onion soup.
6. Havarti
Havarti is a really delicious Danish cheese that is buttery and slightly acidic in flavor. It’s a cheese that is typically added to sandwiches because it melts well and it’s mild in flavor. Havarti stands out in a sandwich but it doesn’t really demand your attention to the point that it would overpower the rest of the dish. We love using havarti as a substitute for provolone in French onion soup whenever it is needed.
7. Raclette
Raclette is a delicious stinky cheese from Switzerland. It’s absolutely delicious and not so light on your nose. However, this does melt really well so we’ve included it in this list of cheese that would go well with French onion soup. Raclette isn’t a common cheese to use for this dish but it works wonders in any dish in general so why not, right? Raclette is commonly melted and served with boiled marble potatoes, salami, pickled onions, slices of bread, and the like.
