Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup Review (2024)

Laura Manzano

Laura Manzano

Laura Manzano is a recipe developer, food stylist, personal chef, and occasional writer living in Brooklyn. Her favorite food is all sandwiches.

published Dec 19, 2022

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

When throwing a dinner party, it’s easy to get swept up in the multicourse-ness of it all. And when it comes to dinner parties, the holiday season is arguably the most popular time of the year to host — and it’s all about the food.

If you happen to be one of those ethereal, sparkling hosting wizards, you probably already know that hosting is hard work (especially if you’re making it look easy!). When I was reading a hostess guide book from 1952, for example (there are so many!), I learned that to be a good hostess, everything has to be homemade, everything has to be perfect, and your dress has to have an a-line silhouette. Luckily today’s standards have changed: Wearing pants is now an option, and hosting doesn’t mean making everything from scratch. In fact, smart hosts know when to take clever shortcuts so they can spend quality time with their guests.

As every good host knows, you never know when or where inspiration will strike. For me it was in the aisles of Costco that I stumbled upon a clever shortcut — in the freezer, betwixt boxes of 72-count toaster waffles and giant six-pound sacks of Italian meatballs. Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup immediately caught my attention, for two main reasons.

What’s So Great About Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup?

First, French onion soup calls for a ton of onions. While onions aren’t expensive, there’s a lot of labor involved in halving, peeling, and slicing 10, 12, 50, or one billion onions (I don’t know how much soup you make).Second, a good French onion soup takes time: Letting broth, a bit of wine, some herbs, and all of those onions become friends in the pot can take at least a few hours. At only $10.99 for six portions, this Costco version is nearly cheaper (in some cases, literally cheaper!) than buying all the ingredients to make it yourself.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer hanging out with people over onions. So I imagine for Thanksgiving, or your birthday, or any celebration where you’re having people over, this frozen French onion soup would make the perfect hands-off first course. I was delighted to find that this soup came packaged in individual, vacuum-sealed cylindrical portions, perfect for placing in a bowl and microwaving, which is one of the preparation methods listed on the box.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the soup — hearty and savory, with slight sweetness from the onions. Unsurprisingly, however, the croutons placed on top didn’t really get crispy in the microwave (perhaps they would if you prepared this in the oven), but that was nothing some supplementary toast couldn’t fix.

If You’re Going to Make Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup, a Few Tips

  • Thicken it up. This soup is a little on the thinner side. If you prefer your soup a bit thicker, whisk in a cornstarch slurry.
  • Dress it up a little. Sprinkle extra Gruyère or Parm on top after serving for a rich, creamy finish. And for some spice and earthiness to complement the sweetness of the onions, finish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
  • Add bread. While you’re raking in big savings on the soup itself, feel free to splurge a little on some nice, crusty bakery bread. If possible, get a whole, unsliced loaf, and slice it at home yourself. You can cut some thick, rustic slices this way, and take it even further by toasting them in a small skillet with some butter.

What holiday shortcuts are you buying at Costco this year? Tell us in the comments.

Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup Review (2024)

FAQs

How much is Cuisine Adventures 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.

Is French onion soup good or bad for you? ›

French Onion Soup is a healthy food

The cheese topping on French onion soup adds saturated fat and cholesterol, making the dish even less healthy. However, you can reduce the sodium content of the soup by using a low-sodium beef stock or chicken broth instead of regular stock.

How to cook French onion soup from Costco? ›

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Place 1 soup, cheese on top, in a bowl safe for both microwave and conventional oven.
  3. Heat on HIGH for 3 minutes in the microwave oven.
  4. Remove soup from microwave oven; sprinkle on top about 2 Tbsp of additional shredded Swiss or other firm cheese.

What is the best vessel 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.

How much is French Onion Soup at Trader Joe's? ›

French Onion Soup (4.99 for two 10 oz. portions). I am a particular fan of this frozen soup simmered with fresh onions, Swiss Cheese and Croutons. Two soups come in each package and they fit perfectly into classic Apilco Lion Head Soup Bowls.

What does good French Onion Soup taste like? ›

French onion soup tastes like sweet caramelized onions, with intense savory notes from beef broth, wine, and brandy. The consistency is brothy at first, but as the bread soaks up some of the liquid, it thickens. It's heavenly.

Do French people actually 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…

Is French onion soup a laxative? ›

The natural way to overcome the problem is to eat foods which have a naturally laxative effect - such as onion soup, pears, plums, bran, linseed oil, green vegetables and minerals - and avoid starchy foods and white flour products.

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.

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.

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.

Why does my French onion soup taste burnt? ›

If the heat is too high, the onions will burn. If you don't stir often at beginning and almost constantly toward the end, the onions will burn. If one little bit burns the whole batch needs to be tossed. Otherwise the soup ends up tasting like burnt onion.

What pairs well with French onion soup for dinner? ›

What to Serve with French Onion Soup
  • Pan Seared Shrimp.
  • The Best Dinner Rolls.
  • Maple Bacon Carrots.
  • Garlic Parmesan duch*ess Potatoes.
  • Baked Bruschetta Chicken.
  • Caramelized Onion Pasta.
  • Sauteed Garlic Broccolini.
  • Perfect Baked Potatoes.
Jan 16, 2024

What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

Is there a difference between onion soup and French onion soup? Onion soup usually requires a combination of a variety of onions. French onion soup is traditionally made with yellow onions. Also, French onion soup is always made with beef stock while onion soup uses any type of stock or broth.

Should you use white or red wine in French onion soup? ›

Pair beef broth with white wine (and skip the flour)

We've also seen recipes that call for red wine, white wine, or no wine at all. Our taste tests revealed the combination of an all-beef broth with white wine as the clear winner, as used in this Gourmet French Onion Soup.

How much is French Onion Soup in France? ›

It is mostly onions, broth, butter, bread, and cheese. This typically runs about 10-15 euros a bowl in Paris.

Is French Onion Soup the same as onion soup? ›

French onion soup almost always calls for beef stock or broth while English onion soup can be made with either beef, chicken, or vegetable stock or broth. Most French onion soups will also employ sherry, red wine, or (in Julia Child's case) cognac for flavor.

Does French Onion Soup store well? ›

To store: store any leftover French onion soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days without the baguette on top. Reheat in the microwave and then top with cheesy baguette as instructed.

Does Costco food court have onions? ›

Costco is bringing raw onions back to its food court, and hot dog lovers are celebrating. The wholesale shopping chain, known for its food court full of cheap eats — including a $1.50 hot dog and soda combo — did away with the onions during the pandemic, per Yahoo.

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