The idea of eating a pile of onions seems absolutely absurd—until you caramelize them and make them into soup. Suddenly, and your entire family is talking about an onion dinner with great reverence.

My version of the French onion soup recipe is rich and sustaining due to the oxtail, the toasted bread, and loads of cheese. I added the oxtail to give the store-bought broth a richer flavor.

Our five-star French onion soup recipe turns that big bag of trusty onions into a luxurious meal. By Sam Sifton Sara Bonisteel’s French onion soup.Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times.