French Onion Jacket Potatoes

I’m always looking for new ways to turn my love of French onion soup into something else, and these French Onion Jacket Potatoes might be one of my favourites yet. I’m constantly caramelizing onions for one recipe or another in my kitchen, so it was only a matter of time before I started pairing them with baked potatoes.

These start with crispy baked russet potatoes that are loaded with butter and crème fraîche, then topped with plenty of caramelized onions and freshly grated Gruyère. Everything goes under the broiler until the cheese is golden and bubbly, with a little fresh thyme to finish. It’s everything I love about French onion soup, but in potato form. And while baked potatoes can take forever in the oven, using the microwave and air fryer together gives you crispy skins and perfectly fluffy insides without the long wait.

One of my favourite things about jacket potatoes is how many different ways you can make them—I’ve even made a Nordic Jacket Potato in the past! But, these French onion jacket potatoes are definitely my favourite combination so far. They’re such good comfort food and hearty enough to be a full meal on their own if you ask me, but would also make a great starter or side dish alongside steak, roast chicken, or even a Thanksgiving turkey.

Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt (I recommend Diamond Crystal)
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided + more to taste
• Splash of dry white wine
• A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• Crème fraîche, to taste
• Freshly grated Gruyère cheese, to taste
• Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Prep STEPS

• Scrub the potatoes thoroughly (since you won’t be peeling them) and rinse under cold water.
• Peel, halve, and thinly slice the yellow onions.
• Freshly grate the Gruyère cheese. I prefer a finer shred using the smaller holes of a box grater. You’ll want about 1 cup of grated cheese.
• Rinse and pat dry the fresh thyme.

What You’ll Need

I love this recipe because it doesn’t make a ton of dishes!

Cooking Methods

Air Fryer vs. Oven: I made these in the air fryer, but you can absolutely use a conventional oven instead. After microwaving the potatoes, rub them with olive oil, season generously, and bake directly on the oven rack at 425°F for 20-30 minutes, or until the skins are crispy and the centers are completely tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your potatoes.

Skipping the microwave: I like microwaving the potatoes first to cut down on the cooking time, especially when I’m making these on a weeknight. If you have more time, you can skip the microwave altogether and bake the potatoes at 400°F for approximately 60-90 minutes, or longer for particularly large potatoes. The skins should be crisp and the insides completely tender before adding the toppings.

How to Make it

Step One:

Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cold water. Wrap each potato in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 8 minutes, or until starting to soften.

Step Two:

Carefully remove the potatoes from the microwave (they’ll be hot!), discard the paper towels, and let cool slightly before handling. Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Step Three:

Pierce each potato a few times with a fork, then rub generously with olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper.

Step Four:

Transfer the potatoes to the air fryer and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the skins are golden and crispy and the potatoes are fork-tender (or a toothpick easily slides into the center). Set aside in an oven-safe baking dish.

Step Five:

While the potatoes cook, begin caramelizing the onions. Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a generous pinch of salt, stirring to coat. Cover with a lid and let the onions steam for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to release their moisture.

Step Six:

Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and golden brown. If the bottom of the skillet starts to get too dark, reduce the heat slightly.

Step Seven:

Add a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, until most of the liquid has reduced. Remove from the heat and stir in a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.

Step Eight:

Cut a cross into the top of each potato, being careful not to slice all the way through. Gently press down and pull apart to open up the potatoes.

Step Nine:

Add ½ tbsp of the remaining butter to each potato and let it melt, then use a fork to lightly mash it in. Use extra butter here if you like. Next add a spoonful of crème fraîche to each potato and gently mash again until creamy, being careful not to tear the skins too much.

Step Ten:

Spoon a generous amount of caramelized onions over each potato and finish with plenty of freshly grated Gruyère.

Step Eleven:

Place the baking dish under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden. Alternatively, return the potatoes to the air fryer at 400°F for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Step Twelve:

Finish with fresh thyme leaves and a little freshly cracked black pepper, if you’d like. Serve while hot!

Substitutions

Russet potatoes: Russets are my favourite for baked potatoes because the skins get nice and crispy while the insides stay light and fluffy. Yellow potatoes would work too, but they’ll have a creamier, denser texture.

Yellow onions: These potatoes would also be delicious with caramelized shallots for a more mellow onion flavour.

Gruyère cheese: Gruyère is my first choice for anything French onion-inspired, but Swiss, Comté, or even Mozzarella are all great alternatives. Just make sure to use a cheese that melts well!

Crème fraîche: Sour cream is an easy substitute and will give you a similar tangy flavour. You could also use a little heavy cream for a richer, less tangy option.

White wine: I like using a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the onions, but you can substitute with beef or vegetable stock if you’d prefer to skip the alcohol.

Worcestershire sauce: A splash of soy sauce or a little balsamic vinegar works well in its place. Both will add some depth to the caramelized onions, although the flavour will be slightly different.

Fresh thyme: Chives would also be great here! If you only have dried thyme, add a small pinch to the onions towards the end of cooking rather than using it as a garnish, so that you can still enjoy the flavour.

This recipe is gluten-free as written.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: If you’re planning on having leftovers, I recommend storing the baked potatoes and caramelized onions separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Wait to add the butter, crème fraîche, and Gruyère until you’re ready to serve.

Reheating: Reheat the potatoes in the air fryer at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, or in the oven at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, until heated through and the skins are crispy again. Warm the caramelized onions separately, then assemble the potatoes with the remaining toppings and return to the air fryer or broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Freezing: I wouldn’t recommend freezing the cooked potatoes, but the caramelized onions freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Shop This Recipe

These French onion jacket potatoes are absolutely going on my Thanksgiving menu this year!

If you make them, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!