This Bistro French Onion Soup is my copycat version of Panera's french onion soup. This recipe is so simple to make and it's delicious. It is layered with deep, rich flavors and is topped with french bread smothered in bubbly cheese. It is heaven in a bowl!
This French Onion Soup is the perfect Fall and Winter meal. This is a simple and easy recipe, but it does take a little bit of time, really just to get the onions perfectly cooked. It is so worth it though.
If you love soups as much as I do, make sure you check out my chicken dumpling soup, chicken minestrone, and Outback Copycat Potato Soup. They are all so yummy. It's hard to pick a favorite.
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Why You'll Love This Soup:
- This soup is rich in flavor with dark broth built from beef stock and red wine
- It is topped with crusty french bread layered in melted, gooey gruyere cheese
- It is really simple to make in one pot (except for toasting the bread, but you can handle that)
- This soup is so delicious and perfect to eat on a cold Fall or Winter Day!
Big on Comfort Food? Try my Broccoli Parmesan Orzo, Sirloin Tip Roast in the Crockpot and Chicken Tater Tot Casserole.
The Ingredients for Bistro French Onion Soup:
Red and Sweet Yellow Onions- A combination is used for blended flavors. The onions caramelize and give us a delicious subtle sweetness in the soup.
Beef Stock & Red Wine- For a rich broth. Do not substitute the beef stock for beef broth. We need the deep flavors and richness. Beef broth will be more watered down.
Flour-To thicken the soup into a little bit creamier texture (in this case, we only do a bit, so it still stays pretty thin. In a beef stew or gumbo, we add a lot of flour to really thicken the texture of the broth)
Gruyere Cheese & French Bread- Essential toppings for this soup! I also love an aged provolone in place of the gruyere cheese.
Butter and Olive Oil- To help caramelize the onions
Garlic, salt, thyme, black pepper, bay leaf- To deepen the flavor and bring in simple seasoning.
Substitutions and Variations:
If you don't like Gruyere cheese, you can substitute it with Provolone cheese in deli slices.
Can't have alcohol, just substitute it with a ¼ cup beef stock.
Gluten free? Leave out the flour and bread.
How to Make Bistro French Onion Soup:
Step 1: Begin by peeling and slicing the onions into about ¼ inch slices. Mince the garlic and set aside.
Step 2: Into a dutch oven on medium low heat, add in the butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil and allow it to heat up. Add in the onions. Cover for 15 minutes, stirring half way through.
Step 3: Uncover, and increase heat to medium. Add in salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir well. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium high, for 5 minutes and stir frequently.
Step 4: Add in flour, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Stir and add in wine. Stir.
Step 5: Add in the beef stock. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 6: Slice up the french bread into thin slices and toast in the oven at 350 for 8 minutes.
Step 7: Once the soup has cooked, ladle into an oven safe bowl and top with two slices of bread, and cover with a few gruyere cheese slices. Turn the oven to broil and place the bowls onto a cookie sheet. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes on high.
Step 8: Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Be careful not to burn yourself. These get really hot. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Take your time on the caramelized onions. They need to cook over time to get the perfect texture!
- Don't wear your best clothing when cooking this soup. I have a very sensitive nose, but I smelled a bit like armpit after chopping and cooking this many onions.
- It keeps well for 5 days in the fridge when sealed in a container and is the perfect easy lunch idea to re-heat. Just re-heat on the stove top or in the microwave.
- If you have a lot leftover, freeze it in individual serving sizes or all together for an easy dinner idea. If frozen correctly, it will stay good for 3-4 months.
Try pairing this soup with my Roast Beef Sliders, Blackstone Philly Cheese Steaks, or Caesar Salad with this Caesar Salad dressing without anchovies.
Recipe FAQs:
You want to slice the onions around ¼ inch thick. This will help them caramelize evenly and not be too large in the soup.
Gruyere cheese is the most common type of cheese used in french onion soup, but provolone is also delish!
Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Use within 4 days.
More Soups You'll Love:
If you tried this French Onion Soup Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Bistro French Onion Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 bowls 1x
Description
This Bistro French Onion Soup my copycat version of my favorite Panera French Onion Soup. It is filled with rich flavor and is topped with french bread smothered in bubbly cheese. It is heaven in a bowl!
Ingredients
- 3 large yellow, sweet onions (peeled, halved, and sliced into ¼ inch slices)
- 3 large red onions (peeled, halved, and sliced into ¼ inch slices)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 containers (32 ounce each) beef stock
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ loaf of french bread cut into ½ inch slices
- 4 to 6 ounces gruyere cheese (sliced thinly)
Instructions
- Begin by peeling and slicing the onions into about ¼ inch slices. Mince the garlic and set aside.
- Into a dutch oven on medium low heat, add in the butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil and allow it to heat up.
- Add in the onions. Cover for 15 minutes, stirring half way through. Uncover, and increase heat to medium. Add in salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir well. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium high, for 5 minutes and stir frequently. Add in flour, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Stir and add in wine. Stir.
- Add in the beef stock. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Slice up the french bread into thin slices and toast in the oven at 350 for 8 minutes. Once the soup has cooked, ladle into an oven safe bowl and top with two slices of bread, and cover with a few gruyere cheese slices.
- Turn the oven to broil and place the bowls onto a cookie sheet. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes on high. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Be careful not to burn yourself. These get really hot! Enjoy!!
Equipment
Notes
- Take your time on the caramelized onions. They need to cook over time to get the perfect texture!
- Don't wear your best clothing when cooking this soup. I have a very sensitive nose, but I smelled a bit like armpit after chopping and cooking this many onions.
- It keeps well for 5 days in the fridge when sealed in a container and is the perfect easy lunch idea to re-heat. Just re-heat on the stove top or in the microwave.
- If you have a lot leftover, freeze it in individual serving sizes or all together for an easy dinner idea. If frozen correctly, it will stay good for 3-4 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: french
Keywords: panera french onion soup, bistro french onion soup
Holly
These is the perfect winter soup!
★★★★★