Why Everyone Says These French Baked Potatoes Are the “Most Delicious” Potatoes of All Time

French onion soup is one of the soup recipes I return to every winter. It’s a classic with the slowly caramelized onions, hearty beef broth, and gooey Gruyère cheese. So great news for me (and you, if you’re equally as enamored): I’ve discovered that soup isn’t the only way to enjoy that iconic French onion flavor! 

I’ve added jammy onions and melty cheese to  skillets of meatballs, dishes of baked spaghetti, and even loaves of garlic bread. But the best French onion mash-up I’ve made has to be my French onion baked potatoes. 

This recipe is the one to make when it’s time to clear all those unused onions and potatoes out of your pantry. Follow the directions, and you’ll serve up the fluffiest baked potatoes topped with sweet onions and nutty cheese. Here’s why French onion baked potatoes are the best French onion-inspired recipe you’ll ever make. 

Get the recipe: French Onion Baked Potatoes

• A French-inspired dinner starts with pantry ingredients. Gather onions, potatoes, and a hunk of nice cheese, and you’re well on your way to serving baked potatoes inspired by the iconic French onion soup. 
• Ideal for meal prep. Make the onion mixture up to 2 days in advance, and the potatoes can be baked 4 days early. Simply assemble when you’re ready to eat.

• Bake the potatoes. Cut a cross shape into each potato, then bake at 400°F until the outside is very crisp, about 2 hours. 
• Caramelize the onions. Cook sliced yellow onions in butter with fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper until the onions are very soft and deep golden-brown.
• Make the sauce. Add all-purpose flour to the onions, then stir in beef broth to make a silky, French-onion sauce. Finish the sauce off the heat with balsamic or sherry vinegar.
• Finish and top the potatoes. Open and fluff the potatoes with a fork, then continue to bake for 10 minutes. Top with butter, the onion mixture, and shredded Gruyère cheese.
• Broil. Return the potatoes to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and browned. 

• Use our method for the best baked potato. There are countless ways to bake potatoes, but my favorite method is for English Jacket potatoes. The interior is light and fluffy while the skin is crisp, crackly, and well worth the wait. 
• Freeze extra caramelized onions. Transforming raw yellow onions into soft, sweet, and jammy caramelized onions takes time. Luckily, you can prepare a large batch in about the same amount of time as a smaller batch. Freeze extra caramelized onions for a head start on French onion-inspired recipes.

Get the recipe: French Onion Baked Potatoes

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Everyone Says These French Baked Potatoes Are the “Most Delicious” Potatoes of All Time