Why It Works
- Whisking onion soup mix into the stock provides a concentrated onion flavor that you can’t get from caramelized onions alone.
- Yukon Golds turn wonderfully creamy when roasted, and their tender skins don’t require peeling.
- Reducing the sauce on the stovetop concentrates its flavor and ensures a glossy, spoonable finish.
Slide into a Parisian bistro on a crisp night and you’ll likely find the famous French onion soup. Dark, savory broth, sweetened by caramelized onions, deepened with a splash of sherry, and finished with a molten crown of Gruyère—it’s a combination that never fails.
That same iconic mixture of sweet onions, savory broth, and gooey cheese works just as well outside the soup bowl. Here, it’s built onto fondant potatoes—aka melting potatoes—the classic side where golden rounds are braised in stock until creamy inside and crisp outside. This version take that classic potato dish a step further, topping the potatoes with caramelized onions and melted cheese for a hearty, party-worthy side that captures everything you love about French onion soup in a new form.
This recipe comes from our colleague Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman from our Birmingham, Alabama test kitchen, who built it to showcase the best parts of the soup. It begins with a clever flavor shortcut: a packet of onion soup mix whisked into stock that the potatoes cook in. These packets are a pantry staple with a devoted following for a reason—their concentrated onion flavor brings a savory depth that plain store-bought broth can’t touch, and also gives the potatoes a built-in boost of onion intensity.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
For the potatoes, Tricia uses Yukon Golds. Their thin skins save you the trouble of peeling, and once roasted, their interiors turn creamy and almost custardy. Trimming the ends to create flat sides ensures they sear evenly in the skillet, building a golden crust that is sturdy enough to hold up once braised in the onion broth.
The caramelized onions take time, but they’re worth every minute. Cooked over steady heat, with frequent stirring, they turn from sharp and raw to jammy and sweet in about half an hour. A bit of thyme stirred into the onions adds freshness, while a splash of sherry contributes its signature almond-like flavor. This interplay of sweet, savory, and lightly boozy is exactly what makes French onion soup so compelling.
Once the potatoes are cooked until tender and their cooking liquid has reduced to a concentrated sauce in the process, they’re topped with the caramelized onions. Then they’re covered in a combination of Gruyère for its nutty depth and mozzarella for its irresistible stretchy melt. After a quick return to the oven, the cheese turns bubbly and burnished. Once the potatoes are on a serving platter, they’re finished with a scattering of toasted panko, a wink to the soup’s crouton topping. The cooking liquid is returned to the stovetop, where it’s finished over low heat with a knob of butter that makes it velvety and rich, ready to spoon over and around the potatoes at the table.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Serve these French onion melting potatoes as a crowd-pleasing appetizer, or pair them with roast chicken or seared steak and a crisp green salad. Rich with caramelized onions, melted cheese, and a buttery sauce, they’re pure fall comfort and can easily steal the spotlight.
This recipe was developed by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.
These French Onion Melting Potatoes Might Outshine the Soup
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1 1/4 cups (295 ml) homemade beef or chicken stock or store-bought unsalted chicken stock
1/4 cup (60 ml) room temperature water, plus more as needed
1 (1-ounce; 28-g) package onion soup and dip mix (such as Lipton Recipe Secrets)
2 pounds (907 kg) Yukon gold potatoes, 2 1/2 to 3 inches long each, scrubbed
1 3/4 teaspoons (about 5 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt, use half as much by volume
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (1 ounce; 28 g)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (4 ounces; 113 g), divided
1 large onion (10 ounces; 283 g), thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups sliced)
6 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry sherry
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (2 ounces; 57 g)
1/2 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 ounces; 57 g)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). In a large measuring cup, whisk together stock, water, and onion soup mix; set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut about 1/4-inch off both ends of potatoes to give them flat sides, then halve each potato crosswise. Pat both sides of each potato dry with paper towels. Season both sides of potatoes with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
In a medium stainless steel skillet, combine panko and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and panko is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a small bowl; set aside until ready to use. Wipe skillet clean.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and mostly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to prevent overbrowning. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sherry and thyme, cook, stirring constantly, until sherry evaporates, about 1 minute. Transfer onions to a medium bowl; set aside.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
While onions cook, in a large stainless steel skillet, heat oil until just beginning to smoke. Add potatoes to skillet, cut side down, in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until potatoes are deeply browned on bottom side, 5 to 8 minutes, rotating pan and adjusting heat as needed to ensure even browning.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Using a thin metal spatula, carefully flip potatoes, taking care not to leave the crispy bottoms behind on the pan. Add 4 tablespoons butter and cook, swirling constantly, until butter is melted and begins to foam, about 1 minute. Add reserved stock mixture and bring to a boil.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Transfer skillet to oven, and roast until potatoes are completely tender, have little to no resistance when poked with a paring knife, and liquid is reduced to a saucy consistency, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Remove skillet from oven and evenly divide caramelized onion mixture over tops of potatoes. Evenly top with Gruyère and mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula, transfer potatoes to a serving platter, leaving sauce in skillet. Top potatoes evenly with panko.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Return skillet to stovetop over low heat (be careful of the skillet’s hot handle). Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until well combined. If sauce is too thick, whisk in 1 tablespoon water at a time until desired consistency is reached. Spoon sauce on and around potatoes. Top with additional fresh thyme and black pepper. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Tricia Stuedeman, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
Special Equipment
Large measuring cup, medium skillet, large stainless steel skillet, metal spatula
Make-Ahead and Storage
Once completely cooled, the toasted breadcrumbs can be transferred to an airtight container and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
The potatoes are best served right away, but leftover caramelized onions can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Gently reheat in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven. Alternatively, gently reheat in the microwave using a microwave-safe plate or bowl.
