The Store-Bought French Onion Soup You Should Avoid At All Costs - Tasting Table

"In her seminal "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," Julia Child's French onion soup recipe claims, "The onions for an onion soup [soupe à l'oignon] need a long, slow cooking in butter and oil, then a long, slow simmering in stock for them to develop the deep, rich flavor which characterizes a perfect brew. You should therefore count on 2 1/2 hours at least from start to finish.""

"When foodies don't have the time to spend crafting a homemade French onion, they might turn to canned soup as a time-saving alternative. In such desperate times, set your expectations low, and pick any brand besides Progresso - whose canned French onion ranked last in Tasting Table's ranking of five store-bought French onion soups. Despite being one of the best-known names in canned soup, Progresso ultimately fails to translate gooey, glorious French onion soup into a shelf-stable container."

Traditional French onion soup requires long, slow cooking of onions in butter and oil and extended simmering in stock to develop deep, rich flavor. Intense onion flavor and a robust homemade stock are central to a successful bowl; higher-quality stock and properly caramelized onions markedly improve the soup. Canned soups offer convenience but usually compromise depth and texture. Progresso's canned French onion presents as an ultra-thin, beef-forward broth with few onion slivers and negligible impact from added seasonings, failing to deliver the gooey, rich characteristics associated with authentic French onion soup.

Read at Tasting Table